My Fairy Tale Adventure
by AmberEnflame
Summary: When she was scared, he protected her. When she felt lost, he pulled her along. When she cried, he was there for her. When she was happy, he had made her laugh. They went everywhere together, they had fun together. They were best friends, but slowly discovered their feelings for one another. (DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything, I just wrote this story with the Fairy Tail setting.)
1. Chapter 1: The Encounter

**~ The Encounter ~**

_I'm here! I've finally reached the town of Magnolia!_ The cobblestone paths, the beautiful houses, the lively streets, the busy marketplace! Everything about Magnolia made my heart flutter in excitement. _I'm really here._ I stood at the grand entrance stone arc, watching the people go about their everyday lives in awe. They seemed so joyous and so happy with their lives.

I took a deep breath, breathing in the Magnolia scent that lingered in the air, absorbing the Magnolia atmosphere. It smelled of flowers and freedom. But suddenly, a loud holler interrupted my moment.

"HEY! Watch out! Get out of the way!"

The voice came from behind me, and I immediately turned to look. There was a horse-drawn carriage with two horses charging towards me! The sound of the horses steady, rhythmic trotting resonated in my ears: _Clop, clop! Clop, clop! _I was rooted to the ground in shock as the carriage approached.

"MOVE!" The coachman bellowed. That brought me back from my daze and I scampered out of the way, right when the horses were inches from me. In my hurry, I tripped (of course) and fell on my behind. _Ow! What a way to start my new life here. _

As I sat on the floor, I watched the carriage go by. It was elaborate and it looked majestic. The edges were gold-plated and the walls outside the carriage had some fancy beige floral design. I noticed that the only window on the carriage door was curtained as well. _Probably a noble,_ I thought.

As the carriage travelled further into the distance, I noticed a symbol on the back of the carriage. It was golden, matching the carriage design. It sort of looked like a dagger, but turned upside down. It was familiar, like I've seen it before. I tried to recall whose noble family's symbol it was, but nothing came up.

"Are you alright?" A voice disrupted my thoughts.

A woman was looking down at me, stretching her hand out to me. I realized the unglamorous position I was in- on my butt, on the floor, in a mini skirt- and the trance I was in WHILE still in that embarrassing position, and I became flustered. I took her hand and she helped me up. I thanked her and she smiled at me.

"You shouldn't stand in the middle of the road, young lady!" A man, several steps behind the woman, commented. Though it seemed like he was reprimanding me, his face broke into a huge smile. Out of embarrassment, I blushed slightly. I brushed myself down, and seeing I was fine, the woman walked off with the man, arms linked, looking very much like a happy middle-aged couple.

"I wonder if I'll ever be like that with anyone…" I sighed softly to myself.

Oh well. I shook that thought out of my head and finally stepped into Magnolia for real. I sauntered through the marketplace that wasn't far from the grand entrance. The place was bustling; it was so happening and lively. I think it's the food marketplace, because every stall was selling some type of food. The mouthwatering aromas filled the air, and I realized I was hungry. Well, I should be, after 5 days of travelling, escaping from what used to be my home… _Okay, let's not let depressing things get in the way of this amazing experience. _

I followed a smell that caught my nose's attention; it brought me to a stall with a pot. I eyed the pot suspiciously. It… looked more like a cauldron. I peered inside, and I saw brown goo. As great as it smelled, I was definitely NOT going to eat that. It was bubbling and it looked so disgusting. I quickly backed away from that stall and then I realized there wasn't anyone around that stall. I guess I knew why. Then, I decided to follow the crowd and I went to the stall with the most people.

People flocked to this stall like bees to flowers, and I could hardly get a glimpse of what all the fuss was about. But eventually I managed to squeeze through the crowd and stood right at the front. Whatever it was, it looked peculiar, but still, better than that brown goo. I asked the stall owner what is it, and with a cheery smile, he said, "Just try it! You'll love it! Here, I'll give you a bag for just 100 jewels!"

_People of Magnolia are really warm and friendly._ I decided it couldn't hurt to try, so I quickly paid him and took the bag. I squeezed out of the crowd and peered into the bag. It's some fried… meat, I suppose. I ate a piece and, it was yummy! I had no idea what it was, definitely not the usual chicken, pork or beef, and not fish either. But it tasted SO good! _New experiences! _

I finished the bag really quickly and then I explored the town. Soooo exciting! So many new things to see! Bookstores, magic shops, Caldia Cathedral and Magnolia Park! I even took a bath at the public bath! Before long, the day had pass and the Sun was setting. I sat at the café and watched the sky change colour. _Magnolia is really beautiful._

I recalled today's events; I had lots of fun and thoroughly played all day. But I haven't forgotten why I'm really here, in Magnolia. I came here to join the strongest wizard guild in the Kingdom of Fiore- Fairy Tail.

Oh! I've forgotten to introduce myself! My name is Lucy and I'm a celestial wizard. I took 5 days to arrive at Magnolia. I walked here from… home. I'm not sure I want to call it 'home' anymore though. Anyway, now that I've have my fun, it's time to settle down and head for Fairy Tail.

I glanced around, and then I realized I didn't know where the guild was! I was kinda lost since I just wandered around aimlessly all day. I looked around for some signs, hoping to find some direction, but there weren't any. So I decided to ask the guy who was seated at a nearby table. He wore a navy robe, a cloak with gold lining, and a strange hat of the same navy and gold. He looked out of place. I stood from my table and approached him.

"Excuse me…" I started.

Expecting some response, I paused, but he didn't even look up at me. It's like he didn't even hear me.

"Sorry to bother you…" I continued.

I think he's ignoring me.

"…but can you tell me where's Fairy Tail?"

Finally he looked up. He stared at me, and I waited nervously under his stare for his reply.

"Do I look like I care about Fairy Tail?" He snapped, seemingly annoyed at me.

I flinched, not expecting that cold response. Upon closer look, his hat had the symbol that was on the carriage. Yes, the one that almost crashed into me earlier today. Immediately I understood. _He's not from around here. _I realized I had asked the wrong person, so I muttered an apology and walked off. I guess I'll just ask somebody else.

I left the café, and walked down the street. I asked the next person I saw, a lady who was walking pass. She was very nice and she had that warm, friendly Magnolia aura. I could tell she's from this town. She told me to just keep walking straight down this street and I would arrive at Fairy Tail. I thanked her and waved as I ran off, my keys jingled in the pouch at my waist as I sprinted. _I can't wait!_

* * *

_I'm here. _I stood at the tall double doors of the Fairy Tail building. It's very noisy, I could hear lots of commotion from the inside. I had mixed feelings: Slightly nervous, very excited, a little apprehensive. Will they let me join easily? What if they don't let me join? They're the strongest guild after all. _I guess I'll just have to try and see what happens! _I'm pretty strong with my celestial magic too.

Just as I reached to push the doors open, they burst open and WHAM! - Something slammed me onto the ground. _No, wait… That's-! _Pink hair… Flames on his fists… That's not 'something'! It's NATSU DRAGNEEL, the Salamander of Fairy Tail!

My heart sped up as I realized it was him. Never in my dreams would I have imagined meeting him! Oh my God, and meeting him LIKE THIS. Even though I was starstruck, I quickly realized that I was yet in another awkward, embarrassing situation. I am completely trapped underneath him! _Geez, what was he even doing breaking the doors down like that anyway?_

Fortunately, he got to his feet in lightning fast speed. I struggled to get up. By the time I got up, he was already the dining hall inside the guild house. The dining hall was a chaotic mess. "Damn, Gray!" He yelled. "FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!" And then his blazing fist hit another guy, who was obviously a Fairy Tail wizard. He was topless, revealing his dark blue Fairy Tail stamp on his right chest. _Why is he half-naked? _

Getting hit by Natsu, he flew out of the building (I had to dodge!) and across the courtyard. It was a fight. Gray, I assume he's the half-naked guy who just got punched by Natsu, crashed in some bushes and then got up again. _Woah, not knocked out cold with a hit like that by the Salamander? He must be strong too. _Then, he put one fist together with his other palm and went, "Ice Make: Cold Excalibur!" And a giant sword appeared in his hands, made entirely out of ice. _Wow. _

By then Natsu had come outside as well, and the two of them started exchanging blows even more furiously. I couldn't see the whole fight very clearly, it was too fast. I could only tell that Gray kept swinging his sword and Natsu just used his flaming fists. It was a blur of fire and ice.

Then, a scarlet red-haired woman came out of the building. "OI! NATSU! GRAY! Break it up!" she yelled. She walked pass the starstruck me, still at the doors… or actually at the doorway, because the doors got busted into pieces when Natsu came flying through. I should really be taking cover from this, but I was too stunned. In a split second, she dragged Natsu and Gray apart, hanging onto Natsu by the collar. They both looked frightened by her and immediately stopped fighting. _Seems like she's stronger than the both of them. _

"Can't you see you've injured someone?!" she shouted at Natsu. Dragging Natsu by the collar now, she walked over to me and she ordered, "Apologize now." Natsu struggled free from the red-haired woman's grasp and then he stood upright. He was tall, slightly taller than me even though I wore my usual high heels. He wore a white scarf, a black vest and waistcoat with gold trimmings and white pants under the waist coat. He had no undershirt, and that showed off his muscles. In fact, it was not just his packs; he was muscular, just like Gray.

He ruffled his hair, somewhat feeling bad for knocking me down and smiled widely and then he apologized to me. His smile stopped my heart for a moment and I was dumbfounded by his good looks on top of being starstruck.

Then the red-head continued, "I'm Erza- Erza Scarlet!" And she stretched her hand out to me. I noticed she wore armour, and I realized her last name was the colour of her hair. For a brief moment, I wondered what her story is. She smiled warmly at me too, though her smile was not as sunny as Natsu's. I thought she was intimidating at first, but now I think I was wrong. She feels like a big sister.

"Lucy Hea- Lucy." I smiled back as I shook her hand, remembering the proper manners I was taught growing up. She looked at me expectantly, anticipating something more. _Crap, _I almost accidentally blurted out my last name. She gave me a look and I knew that she's wondering about my story too. She's observant, definitely.

"I'm Natsu!" Natsu exclaimed. He seems overly excited! Gray has already walked over by then, and he introduced himself too, "Gray Fullbuster." He was more composed and cool. Maybe it's the elements; Natsu's like a sparkling fire and Gray is just ice-cool.

* * *

And that was how I first encountered Fairy Tail. That day, I officially became a member of Fairy Tail. Master accepted me in a heartbeat; there was no test whatsoever and no fuss. I don't know why I was so worried that they wouldn't accept me. They were all very welcoming and excited about having a new member. Mirajane stamped the Fairy Tail symbol onto my right hand; I chose pink. I recognized Mirajane straight away because I always saw her in the Sorcerer Magazine. I was so thrilled! To be surrounded by all the famous wizards that I've always looked up to… It was like a dream come true.

Of course, I met many other members as well! I already met Erza, Natsu and Gray outside. But then there's also Levy-chan. She's really sweet! We became friends right away because she loves reading, like me! She's the only one I told about me writing down this book too, penning down all my Fairy Tail adventures…

Then there's Cana. She just drinks booze all the time. It's surprising how well she can hold her liquor. She uses card magic and it's really fascinating! I like her because she doesn't care about appearances and just does whatever she wants. Like how she drinks beer from the barrel even though it's unglamorous… She's strong too.

For the past 2 days, I've only talked to Levy and Cana.

Oh yeah! There's Happy too! He's a blue cat that has wings and can fly. Strange right? But he's Natsu's partner and they go everywhere together.

I don't know everyone yet, but I guess I'll just stay here from now on and slowly get to know the rest of them!

* * *

It's day three since I first set foot in Magnolia and since I've joined Fairy Tail.

Mirajane is behind the bar, and I sat on the barstool at the bar. Leaning on the bar top, facing away from her, I looked at the great hall. Everyone is just sitting around, laughing and chatting away, making merry. Cana's sitting on the table, hugging a barrel and drinking from it again as usual. It's all very noisy.

"Hey, Mira. Is it always this noisy?" I asked absentmindedly. There's nothing to do and I was bored.

"Yeah. It's not Fairy Tail without the noise. You'll get used to it." She replied me.

"But don't they do anything else during the day?"

"Ehh… Yeah, we have missions. Levy-chan's on a mission with Shadow Gear right now. Shadow Gear is her team. That's why she's not here."

I immediately sat up. This was news to me. Missions? What are they? And I didn't know Levy-chan had a group!

I turned around on the barstool and asked her, "Do you need a team to go on a mission?"

Then she stopped polishing the glasses and told me all about missions. Going out on an adventure, _earning jewels!_ And no, I don't need a team to go on a mission! I can't believe I didn't know about missions when I wanted to join a wizards' guild! But oh well, now I know.

I stood up and went to the missions board. I scanned the notices. _Hmm… 'Missing jewelry, reward: 100 000 jewels' _That's quite a lot! Another notice said, _'Capture the serial burglar, reward: 300 000 jewels' _and another said, _'Treasure hunt, reward: treasure' _Treasure? Sounds interesting, but there's only one clue given: _'Start from Hargeon Town'_

Hmm… I just need 70 000 jewels to pay this month's rent. Yesterday I found the ideal apartment on Strawberry Street! It's just by the river, and it's spacious and pretty! 70 000 jewels is well worth it. I brought all my savings out when I left home. That was close to 100 000 jewels. Then I paid the landlady for the first month… Then there was the food and lodging during my journey to Magnolia. That leaves me with… about 20 000 jewels. _Yeah. I need to earn some money to pay next month's rent. _

Well, I don't know what the treasure is, and it seems like a lot of trouble. Catching a burglar sounds like a lot of trouble too. So I guess I'll go search for the missing jewelry! A 100 000 jewels is a LOT too. It can't be that hard to find something. The owner probably just misplaced it in some corner of their house. Okay, it's set then! I'll go find missing jewelry!

Suddenly I heard someone call me, "Lucyyyyy~" It's Natsu, calling from some distance away. "You wanna do a mission?"

I was about to grab the 'Missing Jewelry' notice, but then I paused. I turned around and he saw him walking over, beaming brightly as usual. Happy was flying beside him. "Ohh! Natsu. Happy." I said their names in greeting. I smiled back and in response to his question, said "Yeah!"

He looked at the notice board and his eyes lit up when he saw the treasure hunt notice.

"Alright! Let's do a mission together!" He exclaimed suddenly. _Eh? Do a mission with Natsu Dragneel? _

He didn't wait for me to agree. He ripped the 'Treasure hunt' notice off the board and ran off, dragging me along. _Wait, what? _We're out in the courtyard now, and suddenly Gray bursts out of the front doors (or actually just burst through the doorway because the doors still weren't fixed), yelling, "NAAAAAATSU! You stealing my treasure hunt?!"

Without slowing down, Natsu yelled back, "It's mine now!"

I looked at Natsu; he was smirking childishly, and his pink hair blew in the wind. But his response sent Gray running after us, constantly shouting "Give it back!" I stumbled occasionally, but Natsu's strong grip stabilized me each time. Eventually, the three of us arrive at the Magnolia train station.

It's bizarre. Neither of them was out of breath, but I was panting. Natsu didn't stop or slow down once throughout our sprint here. _Are they human?_

"Just give it back, Natsu. Are you going to take a train?" said Gray.

Natsu froze for a moment, and then his facial expression changed, seemingly in serious thought. I didn't think he thought about things seriously… And why does 'train' sound like a threat? Clearly, I didn't understand something.

Just then, Erza Scarlet appeared. She dragged a huge pile of luggage on a cart behind her with just _one_ arm. Is _she _human? That looked like a lot of baggage and she's just towing it like it's nothing! And where did she appear from?

"Natsu, Gray, fighting again?" Her saying that sounds like a real threat. It's like she's saying, _I am going to beat you both up if you don't stop fighting. _And the two boys immediately straightened up and put their arms around each other's shoulders. Anyone can easily tell it's an act, of course. But Erza just let it slide. Then she saw the scrunched up mission note in Natsu's hand and she easily figured out what they're doing here.

"Treasure hunt?" She said, and suddenly her mood changed and lightened. She's excited as well. "Let's all go together! Take the train! Luckily I have my luggage with me."

Natsu suddenly groaned, "Noooooooo~~ I don't wanna take the train…" _What's with him and trains? _But Erza didn't care and she dragged him by the collar again, still carrying her luggage in tow with her other hand, walking off to… I didn't know where actually. But I just walked behind them. Happy and Gray followed beside me, and they're both trying to suppress their laughter. Gray and Natsu may fight all the time but I realized that they're actually best friends.

"I'll get the tickets." She said firmly, like a natural leader, and then she made her way to the ticket booth. Erza came back really fast and then we boarded the train. I wonder where she deposited her luggage really…

The four of us sat in a cabin, okay, five including Happy. I sat by the window, beside Natsu and opposite Erza. It was a 2 hour train journey to Hargeon Town. Just as the train set off, Natsu's entire body just swayed and he collapsed on me.

"Hey!" was my immediate response. "What's wrong? Get up." I nudged him, but Natsu wouldn't budge. I was confused.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Natsu- Natsu can't- HAHAHAHA!" Gray erupted in laughter. He couldn't even finish what he wanted to say.

I looked to Erza, and she explained, "Natsu can't take transport. He gets motion sickness."

"Very, very bad motion sickness." Said Happy, nodding his head in agreement. He's floating in the air with his arms crossed.

My eyes widened in surprise. THE fire-breathing dragon slayer… can't take transport? _Hahaha~ Even he has his weak moments! How cute! _Oh well, can't hurt to help him feel better.I readjusted his position and put his head on my lap.

It was the same for the rest of the journey. I guess his sickness is really that bad. I chatted with Erza, Gray and Happy throughout the whole journey. They told me so much more about Fairy Tail.

Along the way, I realized… _I'm going on a mission with a team! I'm not alone anymore._

[To be continued…]


	2. Chapter 2: Miscalculation

**~ Miscalculation ~**

I heard the cabin door slide open and I felt Erza and Gray leave. My eyes slowly opened. _Huh, guess I fell asleep somewhere along the way. _I looked around, Happy wasn't here either. I was about to get up, then I remembered. _Natsu._

I looked down at him. He stirred, and abruptly, his eyes flew wide open. He stared at me, and I felt my face heat up as I blushed. _Why do I feel embarrassed? I should probably say something… _"Um… hey, you're up!" He didn't respond, but he turned pink- pinker than his hair.

"Wake up! We're here!" Happy called as he flew through the cabin doors, breaking the trance and we unfroze. Natsu brusquely sat up, and ruffled his hair. I felt my cheeks were flaming, embarrassed from all that. It was only then that I realized that the train had stopped moving.

"Did we reach?" I asked, but I didn't need an answer. _We've arrived at Hargeon Town!_ Excitement took over, and I leapt up, eager to see the new place for myself.

The train station was small, unlike in Magnolia. It was really just a ticket booth and a bare platform by the railway tracks, nothing else. I could easily see the town even though I was still by the train. Hargeon is a large port town, right by the ocean, surrounded mostly by the ocean in fact. It's famous for fishing I think. _Sounds like Happy's favourite town? _He may be a blue, winged, talking cat, but he's still a cat right? And cats love fish? I make a mental note to confirm this some time, and then I looked around for Erza and Gray.

I easily spotted Erza, towing that mountainous pile of luggage behind her. _Honestly, how much stuff does she need? _And then I realized, because Natsu just dragged me off, I didn't bring anything other than my keys, my whip and some jewels! And it's not even enough jewels to buy any clothes or food, or even souvenirs! _Damn, Natsu! _

Just then, he stepped off the train, with Happy right by him. "I'M HUNGRY!" He exclaimed loudly. He was stretching and smiling that sunny smile of his, completely worry-free. _Seems like he's back to normal._

We all gathered on the platform, and I noticed (how could I not notice?) that Gray was topless again. _What's with his stripping tendencies? _

"Gray, clothes." Erza first said to Gray. _Finally, somebody noticed! _Then she turned to the rest of us and said, "We should find a place to stay first." That made sense. Especially with all the luggage she had.

"But I'm hungry!" Natsu protested. "Let's go eat!" He said with a huge, infectious grin. It was easy to get caught up in his pace.

It was Gray's turn to protest, "No, idiot! We're here to look for treasure!" And then he sort of glared at Natsu.

"You're the idiot! Put some clothes on!" Natsu rebutted.

_Are they gonna fight? _I didn't know them well enough, I couldn't read their exchanges very well, but Erza could. Before they started anything, she decided that we should split up, it would speed things up too. And so, Erza went to the inn, Gray went to find more clues about the treasure, and Natsu set off on a hunt for food. …_Wait! Then what am I supposed to do? _

"Come on, Lucy! You're gonna get left behind!" Natsu called, scattering my worries. He had turned around to stop and wait for me. Happy, too, hovered in mid-air, waiting for me. And right at that moment, I didn't feel lost anymore.

I quickly caught up with them. By then I noticed that Erza and Gray had disappeared. _That was fast. Wait, did Gray just walk onto the streets half-naked?! _I shook my head in disbelief and sighed softly, and just continued walking along the streets of Hargeon with Natsu. Natsu looked at me expectantly. It seemed like he wanted to know why I sighed, so I told him, "Gray just walked onto the streets half-naked."

"Huh? That ice block? Yeah, he always does that."

"Really? And you guys just let him do it?"

Natsu just shrugged. "That guy's a perv, he always strips. It's a habit and we always remind him but he still does it."

That's… not to sound like a pervert, but that's interesting. A little strange too, but then there's a blue cat that flies and talks, so a compulsive stripping habit can't really compare right?

"Now, I'm hungry! SO LET'S GO EAT!"

And before I could react, he's running off and dragging me behind him again. I reaaally can't keep up with him!

* * *

We arrive at a nice looking restaurant and I am all out of breath. I bend over, resting my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. I've got to tell him to stop doing that. Slowly, I stood upright again. A huge sign stuck out at the top of the restaurant building, _8-Island Restaurant. _We went in and took a seat in one of the booths. The cushioned seats were pink, but not the same pink as Natsu's hair.

Natsu picked up the menu and waved for someone to come take our order. A young girl, who looked around the same age as me, came over. She wore a ridiculously frilly uniform with a frilly apron to match. I felt embarrassed for her. But she seemed used to it and wasn't fazed by my reaction. She just smiled professionally, and said, "Can I take your order?"

I flipped open the menu and started reading the names of the dishes. _Appetizers: Golden Tentacles, Fairy Flowers, Flaming Tandoori Wings… _I turned the page. _Main Course: Blue Sky Bolognese, Beast Man Curry, Sparkling Gravy Rice… What?_ I flipped the page again. _Dessert: Ruby Parfaits, Glittering Goo, Ice Sundae… Drinks: Black Coco, Holly Soda… _This was NOT normal. I closed the menu, and then I told the waitress, "Flaming tandoori wings" That sounded like the _only _normal thing on that menu.

"Nice choice, Lucy!" Natsu was all smiles. Then he turned to the waitress, "I'll have another plate of flaming tandoori wings… Golden tentacles, red sky Bolognese, fire pasta, fish on fire, hot ham on a stick…"

_Woah, woah, woah. _He's just rattling off everything on the menu right?

"Natsu…" Happy said.

Natsu stopped and looked at Happy, who was sitting on the table; Happy's eyes glistened.

"Oh, right! Any fish thingy for Happy here! That's all!" He beamed at the waitress. I don't even know how much he ordered. Can the table fit everything?

The waitress left, and Natsu's eyes lit up as he asked me, "So, what kind of mage is Lucy?"

_Oh! An easy question to start with. _"A celestial mage." I replied, smiling back at him. He's constantly smiling and it was infectious. "I can summon Celestial Spirits, as long as I have the key." I explained further.

"Oh! I can't do that!"

"I can't breathe fire either." And he chuckled. Not many people can do what he does. In fact, he's probably the only one who can… _Surely he would have known that by now? _We continued talking about magic until our food arrived. I told him about my Celestial Spirits, and he told me about his fire. I was completely enchanted by him when the first dish arrived.

"Flaming tandoori wings." The waitress announced as she placed two plates of them on our table. My jaw dropped when I saw that the chicken wings were literally on fire. It was anything but normal. _How am I supposed to eat that?_ But Natsu was completely oblivious and he tucked in right away, slurping the flames and eating the meat. He paused halfway, and with food in his mouth, he said, "Not eating?"

I stared at him, and then I stared at the flaming wings. "Oh right, no flames for the ordinary human." He said, half-jokingly. Then he pulled the other plate closer to him. I watched in amazement (and disbelief) as he swallowed the flames. I had heard that the Salamander ate fire, but I never thought it was true. One by one, all the food arrived. Most of them were on fire. Typical; he's a fire Dragon Slayer after all.

One particular non-flaming plate contained something peculiar, but strangely familiar. _Where have I seen it before…_ _Oh! _It's the fried meat thing from the marketplace in Magnolia! _Finally, something I can eat! _He saw that it was the only plate I touched, so he pushed it closer to me. _He's not a glutton after all. He just eats a lot. _

"You like the tentacles?" He managed to speak coherently even though he was still chewing. I stopped and looked up at him. _Tentacles? What tentacles? Octopus? Squid? JELLYFISH? _"What tentacles are they?" I finally asked. Now that he mentioned it, they _do _look like tentacles… Chopped into bite-sized slices… Then fried in oil…

"They're not really tentacles." He clarified.

Well, then that's fine I suppose. I just continued eating. Even Happy was happily biting on some fish that was as tall as him. I guess even blue, flying, talking cats like fish too! I finished first, because it was just one small plate. Natsu wasn't far from finishing though. He ate really fast.

Still, that gave me some time to look around the place. I glanced around. The interior was normal and unassuming, but the food was seriously the opposite. And then it struck me. _How were we going to pay for the food? _I only had about 200 jewels, but this looked like a 1000-jewel meal! And Natsu didn't look like he had any in his pockets either! _He didn't even look like he had pockets! _

I panicked and then I asked him, "Do you have jewels?"

He paused from his food and stared at me. "Why would I need such things?" And then he carried on eating.

_That means he DOESN'T have any! _And he ordered so much food! _Oh my God, is he really that dumb? He just lives in his own world huh! How were we going to pay… _

The tinkle of a bell as the restaurant door swung open disrupted my thoughts. A group of scruffy, buff, bulky men walked into the place. "Naw, I'll definitely find the treasure before any of you do!" One of them declared loudly to the rest of the other men. There were five of them. At the word 'treasure', I sat up straight and my ears pricked up. Were they talking about _our _treasure?

"No way! You don't even know where it is! My crew's got a map, but we ain't gonna share!" Another guy, wearing a red-striped bandana, announced proudly.

_A map! _We could really use one!

"I'll steal it from ya'll and then sail off on me own." The extra fat one said.

"But yer don't even know where we hide it." cackled Red Bandana.

_What luck! _If they really do have a map, then we need to steal it- _err… I mean borrow it!_ I turned to Natsu, who was gobbling down his last plate of flames. He hadn't seemed to hear what I just heard. So I told him, "Natsu! That guy seems to have a treasure map!" I did sort of a soft shout.

"Huh?" And then he immediately snapped up, still holding the empty plate in his hands. He paused for a moment, and then turned to look in the direction of those men.

"Ye know what? I'll tell ye where we hide the map if ye gimme a million jewels." Red Bandana loudly offered to the table of scruffy, buff, bulky men. Five beefy guys; their size intimidated me.

My heart sank a little. That kinda meant we're never gonna get that map… We don't have 1 000 000 jewels, and even if we did, what if the treasure we find is worth less than that? That would be a loss. _Wait, we can't even pay for this meal right now. _

"Come on, Lucy, let's go." Natsu got up suddenly.

"Wait, we haven't paid yet!" I sat there, looking lost. _What was he thinking? _I was dying to know what he's thinking.

"No, not _go _go. I mean, let's go see Yajima jii-san."

"Aye, sir!" Happy flew up. And then the both of them just walked off towards the back kitchen. "Yajima jii-san!" Natsu called out cheerily as he parted the curtains at the doorway.

_Yajima? _As in, Yajima from the Magic Council? _Now I'm curious! _I walked through the curtains at the doorway and came into the kitchen. There he was, _the _Yajima from the Magic Council.

"Oh, Natsu! What brings you here?" He exclaimed as he turned around. His wrinkly smile told me that he knew Natsu pretty well.

Natsu smiled his sunny smile. "I'm here to collect my pay for my work that time! I had a great meal just now!"

"Eh…" He started, but then stopped and shrugged. Why do I get the feeling that there's no pay to collect? Maybe Natsu ate all the customers' food instead of serving it to them the last time he "worked" here. Yeah, that sounded like Natsu. So there's probably no pay to collect… _Something like that, _I figured.

But then Yajima-san continued, "Now, now, who's this?" He looked in my direction.

_Oh! I should introduce myself! _"I'm Lucy. I'm very honoured to meet you, Yajima-san!" I smiled.

"A new kid of Makarov's I see. Hmm…" His smiled changed a little as he looked at me. I get the feeling that he sees right through me, like he could tell all about me from one glance. I felt self-conscious under his glance.

"Alright! I'M ALL FIRED UP! Now let's go get that treasure!" Natsu suddenly exclaimed and he fist-pumped the air. And with that, he just trudged out the kitchen with Happy flying behind.

"I'll tell Makarov if you destroy anything, Natsu!" Yajima-san shouted.

I was about to follow after Natsu, but then Yajima-san stopped me. "Lucy Heartfilia?" He said gently.

I stopped dead in my tracks. My heartbeat quickened. _Do I acknowledge him? Or do I act like I don't know what he's talking about? _I think I already gave myself away when I paused, so I turned back around to face him. _What do I say? _

"You're a spitting image of Layla…" He continued.

"You knew my mom?" I lightened up at the mention of my mother's name. _He probably doesn't know I ran away._

"Yes, I remember she was a very talented celestial mage who cared very deeply for her Celestial Spirits."

"Thank you." _For saying such nice things about her. _I'm proud to be her daughter.

And then, the dreaded question came. "Does your father know you're here?" He asked, but I could tell his voice was full of concern.

"… No." I didn't think I could fool him with a lie. "It's not like he cares."

As I turned to leave, he sighed and I paused. "Just remember to visit him sometimes, and take care."

* * *

Outside, Natsu was standing at the head of the table where the five beefy guys sat.

"Oi." Natsu said. _Why is he confronting them like that?! _Immediately, all five guys stopped chatting and glared at him. _Not. Good._ I sensed that a fight was imminent.

"Oh Natsu! Let's go! Wouldn't want to keep Erza and Gray waiting now would we?" I went up to him and pulled at his arm. And then, not giving Natsu any chance to reply, I continued rattling nervously to the group of buff guys like an idiot, "Hahaha. Please ignore him. He's a little crazy especially after eating." I led Natsu out the restaurant, Happy following behind, and when we were on the streets, I heaved a sigh of relief. _Phew, successfully avoided a fight. _The sky was dark now. The sun set early today.

"What did you do? I was gonna get the map!" Natsu exclaimed.

"He may not even really have it. And Master would not want us starting a fight in Yajima-san's restaurant." I explained calmly. "I think we should tell Erza and Gray about this before doing anything else."

"But they all smell of fish and we won't be able to find them later." _Huh? What does the smell of fish have anything to do with this? _But that aside, he was right.

"I'll stay here and follow them then. You go and tell Erza and Gray." The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Why was I volunteering for something so dangerous?!

"Just Lucy you alone?" He seemed doubtful.

"Errr… Yeah. I'll be fine!" There's no backing down now.

"Take Happy along with you too!" Natsu said. _Hmm… Happy could fly so he would be the messenger if anything were to happen…_ That's fine with me."Happy, follow her closely!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy responded and flew over to my side. And with that, Natsu ran off to find Erza and Gray.

"So it's just me and you huh?" I said to Happy.

"Aye!"

"Guess we'll just loiter around here until they come out? Let's hide in that alley over there so they don't see us…"

* * *

It wasn't long before the five guys came out. 2 of them, Red Bandana and the fat one, walked up the street and the other 3 walked off in the opposite direction. Happy and I cautiously followed the 2 of them and we arrived at the docks. _What were they doing here? _There, Red Bandana and the fat guy separated and boarded different ships, the red bandana guy boarded a bigger ship. _Oh great, what now? _

"What do we do?" I looked at Happy, but he didn't have any idea either. Well, I guess right now it doesn't matter as long as the ship doesn't sail away right? So I said, "Happy, go and get Natsu and the others. I'll wait here with the ship."

"Aye! I'll be back soon!" He said and then he flew off, leaving me all alone. _That ship better not move._

Happy better return with them ASAP. What if the ship moves? Then we'll really not get the treasure map, and then we won't find the treasure… If we don't find the treasure, we won't get any reward… If there's no reward, then I can't pay my rent…! We _have _to get that map. And that's when I did something I knew I would regret- I sneaked onto the ship.

If Red Bandana was a sailor, then this ship was his house right? So the treasure map was probably here somewhere. _Ok, I need to find it._ Where should I start? The ship was big and looked like those kind of pirate ships. Luckily it was night time, making it harder for people to spot me. And if I get caught… well, at least I have my keys right? These guys aren't mages or anything.

Now, where should I start? _Think, Lucy, think. _If I lived on a large pirate ship and my crew and I had a treasure map, where would we hide it? Underground cellar? Secret hidden compartment in the wall? Captain's personal chamber…? Okay, if the captain was a stingy person who wanted the treasure all for himself, he would probably hide the map in a secret crack in the wall… which I probably wouldn't be able to find. His personal chamber was the only place I could go, so I sure hope it's in his personal chamber.

I squeezed my Taurus key at my waist as I, as stealthily as possible, headed to the door under the raised deck with the ship's steering wheel. I followed my instincts- okay, wild guess- that that was the captain's room. Through the circle window on the door, I could tell that the lights were off. _Yes! That means he's not in right?_ I pushed the door open slowly… and entered. I quietly closed the door behind me, and then I halted. _Wait, what if he's asleep?! Idiot! What was I thinking?! _

"Captain! The preparations are almost done!" A shout came from outside, making me jump in shock.

"Alright, I'll standby at the steering wheel." A deeper voice replied with a more authoritative tone.

_Oh my God, pheeew! I didn't just blindly walk into the captain's room while he's asleep! _I thanked my lucky stars. But it was too dark for me to see anything. I definitely couldn't turn on the lights in the room if I wanted to stay hidden. _Hmm… I guess I have to use one of my spirits._

"Open the Gate of the Canis Major! Sirius!" I whispered as I fumbled with my keys. An orb of star light appeared. _Crap, that's too bright! _"Shine smaller, Sirius!" I frantically said. And immediately, it shrank to the size of a crystal ball and I held it in my palm. I shined it around the room, carefully angling my body between the light and the window on the door, blocking the light, so that I wouldn't be discovered.

_Hmm…_ _Bookshelf… desk… bed… sofa… The bookshelf or the desk would be my best bet, _I decided.I soon got busy searching the shelves and drawers hastily. As I was ransacking the drawers, a commotion arose from outside.

"Hey! Get off the ship!"

"Who the hell are you people?!"

There was the sound of fighting; the pounding of people beating people up and the groans of people being beaten up. _No time to waste, I better hurry. _Then I heard heavy stomping footsteps get louder and louder. _Oh crap. Ohhhhh crap. I'm gonna get caught._

"Close, a Gate to the Canis Major!" I "switched off" the light just as the door burst open. But then I received a huge surprise.

_Natsu?! _There he was at the doorway, flaming fists and all, looking really pissed off.

"LUCY!" He roared.

"Natsu?"

"We came to get you, Lucy!" Happy said, flying beside Natsu. _Huh? Get me? _

All of a sudden, the ship jerked and then it started to move. _It was sailing off…! _Almost instantly, Natsu's flames extinguished as he collapsed onto the floor. _EH?! Oh, motion sickness! _I rushed to him and kneeled beside him. From there, I could see Erza and Gray fighting an entire crew of countless armed sailors- they looked more like pirates, really. _With a ship this large, there are probably hundreds of pirates with guns._

"Kill them and throw them into the ocean!" One guy shouted.

"Natsu! Get up, Natsu! We have to help Erza and Gray!" I shouted but to no avail.

"It's no use…" Happy said.

_What now? How did the situation end up like this?!_

[To be continued…]

* * *

**I added a new key to Lucy's collection. I needed some source of light for it to make sense, so I just created one.. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky, and it belongs to the constellation Canis Major. That's why I chose it to be a light source. **

**Hope you guys like my story! Sorry this chapter took a little longer to write than expected. I'll update the next chapter within a week!**


	3. Chapter 3: Comrades

**~ Comrades ~**

_Urgh. That was such a bad idea… Such a bad, bad idea… Such a terrible idea! _

I awoke feeling alarmed. _Where is this place? What happened? Ow… _My head hurt. I looked around, it's a ship. _Ah, that's right. The pirates. _I tried to get up, but then I realized I was tied up and I couldn't move my arms. I was sitting on the cold hard floor with a passed out Natsu was beside me. Gray and Erza were nowhere to be seen.

_How did we get here again? _Oh right, we were caught…

* * *

"Gray, hold back! They're not mages!" Erza shouted.

"I know, I know!" Gray shouted back.

Erza wore a different armour. Almost every part of it was made up of silver. Silver plates shaped like feathers cloaked her body. There was also a pair of silver-plated wings spread out on her back. She held 2 matching swords, and she swung them around expertly, using only the hilt to hit the dozen pirates surrounding her.

Gray wore only black pants and held a thin ice sword. They were both on defense mode rather than attack mode, knocking the people out instead of injuring them. _I should help them too. _"Open the Gate of the Ram! Aries!" I pointed my Aries key in midair. Aries appeared in her wool clothing. "Go help Erza and Gray!"

Then facing the fight, she stretched out her hands and went, "Wool bomb!" And _poof! _Lots of the pirates were trapped in her pink fluff!

"STOOOOOOOOP!" A deep voice bellowed from above and 2 consecutive gunshots ripped through the air. Everyone stopped fighting. I walked out onto the deck so that I could see who it was up on the raised deck. A tall man with white slicked back hair stood there, pointing a gun towards the sky. In his other hand… was Happy.

"Stop or he gets it." He now pointed the gun at Happy. _We may use magic but we can't stop bullets. _Erza and Gray were still, and I closed the gates on Aries. Natsu was already motionless on the floor so…

* * *

Anyway, that's how we got caught. The captain (guy with the gun) got his fellow pirates to take out Anti-Magic potions and we were forced to drink them. After the potion emptied our magic, we all passed out. During that period of time, it seemed they tied us up and dumped Natsu and me in… what looked like an underground cellar.

The place was dark, but not pitch black. Sunlight flittered through the wooden cracks of the deck floors above. _Is it daytime already? How long have I been out? _Seeing as Natsu was still passed out, I confirmed that the ship was still moving.

_Oh my God, my keys!_ I sat up in shock, and wriggled to sit on my left butt so I could see whether they're still there. The familiar jingling sound that followed made my heart skip a beat. They were there! But then I focused a little, and I realized that I still felt empty; my magic's not back yet. _That's some potion… _I sighed, and then I looked at Natsu. We were both tied to a pole, probably the pole that extended out onto the deck; the one that was tied to many other things and held everything together.

Truthfully, the situation was really bleak. I had no magic even if my keys were still here. Natsu was unavailable. Erza and Gray were nowhere to be seen, but they probably had no magic either. Happy had been taken hostage, and nobody had even seen the make-belief treasure map. _How did things get so bad? _

Then, there were heavy footsteps coming down the short flight of stairs. _Someone's coming. _I tensed up immediately and put my guard up, ready as I'll ever be tied up helplessly to a pole. The person who entered stood right in front of me. I strained my neck to look up at his face because he was so tall. It was the captain of the ship. He wore a navy blue and gold ensemble with a golden coat that touched the wooden floors. I tried to look at his face as best as I could, but with the sunlight's glare, I could not really see his face.

"Finally, you're awake. Now, tell me, who are you people? And why were you on my ship?" He demanded in a stone cold voice.

I refused to answer him, but instead, I asked, "Where are my friends?"

He crouched down and held a spherical lacrima to my face. "You mean this little guy, or these two pathetic people?"

"Happy! Erza! Gray!" Reflexively I yelled, but I knew they couldn't hear me. In the lacrima ball, I saw Happy locked up in a cage and Erza and Gray were bruised and battered lying on the floor in a different location. "What did you do to them?!" This time I shouted at him.

"I just did to them what they did to my crew." He replied in an ominous tone. "They're still alive. But if you want them to stay alive, you will tell me what you were doing on my ship."

Hadn't he talked to Erza or Gray? Or maybe even Happy? Shouldn't he already know why I was on this ship? I sensed that he was hiding something; maybe it's the existence of the treasure map, so I kept my mouth shut.

"I was just looking for Happy who flew on the ship because he was following the smell of fish." I bluffed.

"You're just like your friends, aren't you? Conceited brats, all telling me a bunch of lies! Are all magicians from Fairy Tail liars?" He thundered._ They really didn't mention the treasure map to him. _Then as he stood upright, he threatened, "If I recall, we should be sailing over the Sea of Sharks any minute now. I'll just have my men throw your friends overboard."

I felt my expression freeze in shock. It was clear to him that his threat got to me, and unfortunately, that accidentally revealed the fact that I knew something. Still, he made his way towards the exit, no doubt to carry out that threat he just gave.

_Oh, what the heck! We'll still be dead whether I tell him or not but at least this way I'll delay Erza and Gray's demise. _"I was looking for the treasure map!" I blurted out before he walked through the door.

He stopped upon hearing this and then walked back down the steps. "Treasure map? What treasure map? Listen carefully: there is no treasure map." He said slowly, carefully emphasizing the last 5 words.

Then he walked over to me and bent down. I thought he was going to torture Natsu and me like he did with Erza and Gray, but then he cut us free from the pole swiftly with a dagger and maneuvered us up onto the deck. He let me walk in front of him but he dragged Natsu behind on the floor. I tried to move my arms, but then I realized there were still ropes that tied up my wrists behind my back.

I stopped at the top of the stairs that connected the underground cellar to the deck to take in my surroundings. The sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was probably around noon. Nevertheless, we were out at sea and it was rather windy. There were about 5 or 6 pirates on the deck, working, cleaning the floors, checking the ropes, checking the sails… _The sails. _I felt worried when I saw the sails. Coincidentally or not, they were navy blue and golden. Now that they were down, I saw the familiar dagger-like symbol printed on them in gold. _Which family's emblem was it again? _I still couldn't remember.

Just then, I saw two pirates shoving and pushing Erza and Gray out of another room. I noticed that Erza had changed from her silver-plated armour into a cropped black tank top that revealed her belly and some shorts. _Was she disarmed when her magic was nullified? _They both had rope tied around their wrists _and _their ankles; their ankles were connected by a single strand of rope which gave them just enough leeway to walk. But where was Happy? And w_here are we going? _Then I saw where we were headed. It was a plank, extending from the edge of the ship, just like pirate ships always had. _Honestly, it wasn't very creative, but that's not what worried me right now. _

"Lucy! Natsu!" Erza exclaimed when we arrived at the plank.

"You're safe!" Gray also exclaimed.

"Hehehe, but not for long!" The captain announced. Then he pointed two fingers towards Erza and her pirate chaperone and then gestured towards the plank. Unfortunately, this wasn't some kind of a joke or a prank, it was real. One by one, we were brought to the edge and then we were pushed off. I was last.

* * *

I met the waters with a huge splash. The impact from the fall plunged my head below water and instinctively, I held my breath. I started to flail, as best as I could with my hands tied. It worked, but really slowly, which made me miss my magic and made me treasure my Celestial Spirits even more. _Summoning anybody, or maybe just being able to, would give me great comfort right now._ I gasped for air when my head eventually emerged from sea level.

"Erza! Gray! Natsu!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I looked around.

And then I spotted them, their heads bobbed up and down following the ocean. They were close by. Erza was fidgeting, and then she wriggled out of the ropes around her hands. She had freed herself. Gray had already broken free from the ropes that tied his hands, and he was floating in the water, holding Natsu… who was still experiencing motion sickness. _From what? Currents? _

"How did you guys free yourselves?" I asked, not hiding the bewilderment in my voice.

"I saw the unconscious Natsu sinking, and then I just- It just happened." Gray explained. _It just happened? Meaning what? Brute strength? _

"I used this." Erza said as she held up a small knife.

"Oh, you picked it up in that room just now?" I said, not really meaning it as a question.

"No. I requipped it." She replied. _Huh? _

"Requipped? With magic? When did you get yours back?" I questioned in disbelief. _She had magic? Then why didn't she do something to save us from walking the plank? _

"I felt it return just before we left the room. I figure the potion is finally wearing off. Yours should return soon too. I think that's why they tried to get rid of us so quickly." Erza explained.

"Oh! You're right! I feel mine returning!" Gray exclaimed excitedly.

"Huh? Then why didn't you use it while we were still on the ship? Like, maybe stop them from throwing us off?" I couldn't hide my accusatory tone.

But Erza was not irritated, she simply explained calmly. "If I had attacked them again, there's no telling what they would do. I wasn't sure if all of your magic had returned too, so I couldn't risk it. Also, we were tied up, and they have Happy. We were at a complete disadvantage, so we needed to regroup first. Or at the very least, we needed to be free."

I was apologetic. She had really thought it through… unlike me. And here I was, thinking that she didn't have the group's welfare at heart. I'm glad she saw through me though, she understood that I was panicky. She understood exactly how I felt.

"Gray, make a boat for us when the ship sails a little further." She said, and then she disappeared underwater. Through the water it was hard to see, but I think she was cutting the rope at her ankles, and then she swam over to Gray's feet and cut him free too. It seemed that Gray's outburst of super strength only freed his hands and not his feet. Erza then swam over to Natsu and cut him loose, and lastly, she cut me loose too. The small knife in her hand disappeared when I was freed.

* * *

We bobbed around in the sea until the pirate ship faded further into the distance. The water was cold, but the sun's rays were hot. I was somewhat worried. If that guy was telling the truth, then there are sharks around here. But I didn't see any at the moment, and at least we had our magic back. The ship hadn't completely disappeared yet, but it was far enough. Gray passed Natsu to Erza, and then he put his hands together and shouted, "Ice Make: Boat!"

A small simple row boat appeared; it had four planks which served as seats. Gray first climbed on and sat on one of the two middle planks, and then he helped me. I sat on the other middle plank, facing Gray and the pirate ship. Erza hauled Natsu into the boat beside me before getting aboard herself. She sat down behind Gray, her back facing the pirate ship. As she sat down, her body glowed for a second and when the glowing ceased, she had changed into her casual armour top and blue skirt again. Then Gray produced a pair of ice oars and started rowing the boat, following that ship but still maintaining a safe distance. I say "small" in comparison to that pirate ship, but it was enough to comfortably fit the four of us. Okay, five if- _wait, Happy wasn't here… _

"Happy…" I murmured.

"Those dirtbags…" Gray snarled under his breath.

Natsu was semi-conscious now. "Those bastards… took Happy… I'll definitely… make them pay-" Just as he finished, he slumped his body over the edge of the boat and puked. I patted his back in an attempt to make him feel better. He just stayed in that position, half of his body dangling out of the boat. He looked kinda _green. _But I guess it was normal because Erza and Gray didn't seem alarmed by it.

"First, we need Happy back. We take away their leverage and then we make them pay- Fairy Tail style." Erza declared. I could tell she was angry too, even though she didn't let it show.

"Yeah, please, no holding back this time." Gray rolled his eyes and said.

"But how?" I asked as my teeth chattered. The sun may be warm, but we were still out at sea. The sea breeze hit me relentlessly and I was drenched and shivering. My white and blue sleeveless vest and my blue mini skirt didn't provide any warmth at this moment. I put my arms around myself and hugged myself.

"Sorry, Lucy, I know it's cold." I turned my attention to Erza, and she continued, "But my storage only has lots of battle armor…" Then she paused and her expression lit up as she thought of something. "But then again if you're cold…" As she said this, she stood up and stepped over the middle plank.

She supported the half conscious Natsu into a sitting position, with his back facing me. With one hand she supported Natsu, and with the other she gestured for me to swivel. With a confused expression on my face, I obeyed and shifted until my right side was facing her and Gray but my eyes didn't leave her. "…then Natsu here can help." As she finished her sentence, she leaned his body against my back. Immediately I felt his warmth spread across my back, and my eyes widened slightly in surprise. _He was warm. Very warm. _And it made me not want to move.

"Lucy… you're freezing…!" Natsu managed to mutter and then I felt a warm hand grab my left forearm. I let my left arm drop and Natsu grabbed my hand. He held it tightly, sending fireworks straight to my now racing heart. I couldn't help but smile. Even though he was awfully unwell, he didn't only think about himself, but he was trying to help me.

Erza and Gray on my right seemed oblivious to what happened, so my face didn't turn red. I turned to face Erza, who had already gone back to her seat, and whispered, "Thank you." It was actually meant for both Erza and Natsu, but at the moment I was leaning against Natsu so I couldn't face him. And then I looked at Gray who was still leisurely rowing the boat; he was topless but not shivering. But just to make sure, I asked, "What about Gray?"

"He used to train naked in the mountains so he's fine." Erza replied on his behalf. "It's how he got his stripping habit actually."

"Ahem! Let's not talk about me now. How are we going to rescue Happy?"

"Right. We need to get back on that ship, but only one person should go to minimize the risk of getting caught, whoever it is_ can't _get caught. That person will free Happy, and fly back with Happy. Then we'll all go after those pirates."

I felt a pang of guilt and despondency filled me. "I'm sorry you guys. I was just trying to get the treasure map… But I just got us into an even bigger mess… And that treasure map doesn't even exist…"

I felt a squeeze on my left hand, followed by Natsu saying, albeit with much difficulty, "It's… okay… We're… comrades-" But then he paused abruptly, probably to hold back his vomit or something… I shuddered to think how his motion sickness felt, but he seemed better now, at least well enough to talk. Maybe it's because our boat was smaller or something…

"We thought you'd been kidnapped or something, Lucy!" Gray suddenly exclaimed.

"Yeah. When we went back to the harbour with Happy and you weren't there, we were all so worried." Erza said. "But Natsu followed your scent and led us to the ship and we all thought that they had kidnapped you."

As I listened to everything they said, a lot of feelings welled up inside of me; I was surprised, touched, and happy… Tears surfaced at the corner of my eyes, but I brushed them away with my right hand. It wasn't time to cry now; it was time to save Happy.

Erza continued, "So now we can't be reckless anymore. We need to carefully plan our attack."

"And properly settle the score. It was low, threatening us with a hostage and blackmailing us into drinking that Anti-Magic potion." Gray spoke and I could hear his anger simmering inside him.

"Is it even legal? To have Anti-Magic potions…" I wondered out loud.

"No, it's not. But by the looks of their sails, they were pirates of Zentopia." Erza confirmed.

_Zentopia! _The word connected with something in my brain and I recognized it. It's the notorious merchant guild that operated in the black markets. They only had one goal, which was to make as much money as they could, as quickly as possible. They didn't care how they went about it, and all their goods were obtained illegally. It's said that they had men collecting goods everywhere; on land, they were bandits, robbers, con artists; out at sea, it's no surprise that they were pirates. Even though I had been trapped at that mansion for most of my life, I have heard about them because they once approached my father with a business proposition.

"And Lucy, I think they _do _have a treasure map. They just don't want to share it." Erza said.

I lit up at this statement. If I thought about it, they were, after all, a successful but infamous merchant guild. So I wouldn't be surprised if they had the map somehow. And if they really had it, then we had to get it. It would also be the perfect payback if we could steal it from them. And suddenly, I had a fantastic idea.

"We can use Gemini!" I cried excitedly. "My Celestial Spirit, the Twins. They can transform into the captain, find Happy and free him, and also find out where the treasure map is hidden!"

"Oh-hooo~ You have such magic?" Gray said with amazement in his voice.

"That's great, Lucy! I think that's our best and only option right now." Erza commented.

Unfortunately, I just recalled a restriction. "About that…" I said awkwardly. "Gemini can only hold the transformation for five minutes so…"

"Alright then we'll just work around it!" Erza easily complied.

* * *

Within a few minutes, we had come up with a solid plan. It was still sort of a one-man mission- one-woman, one-spirit to be exact!

Reluctantly, I let go of Natsu's hand and I spun round such that my front faced Erza and Gray again. I adjusted Natsu so that he sat upright but I couldn't really support him so he just slumped over the edge of the boat again. I took my Gemini key in my right hand, pointed it in midair and said, "Open the Gate of the Twins! Gemini!"

The pair of twins then appeared out of thin air. I held out my hands to them, palms open. The small sky-blue alien-like pair, Gemi and Mini, stood on each of my palms and I brought them down to my thighs as I rested my hands on my thighs. I hurriedly told them the situation, who they needed to copy, and what we needed to know. They listened attentively and nodded.

It was her turn now. Erza stood up on the boat and requipped a different armour. By now I knew that Erza was a user of Requip Magic. This new armour was black with silver trimmings and it exposed her belly. Her scarlet hair was tied up in a ponytail and black wings, resembling that of a dragon's, appeared behind her. The Black Wing Armour- she mentioned its name when we were discussing our plan.

"Alright. Let's go." She said, and Gemi and Mini hopped and floated off my palms.

Because Gray kept rowing the boat, we didn't lose sight of the pirate ship. Erza boosted herself into the air and rocketed towards the ship. If the ship was this near, she would still be able to fly there. Gemi and Mini had no problem flying; they took off after her, not losing to her speed. I stood up to watch them fly into the distance.

_Zentopia huh… We're counting on you guys now, Erza, Gemini! _

All we could do now was to wait for their return.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**It was fun writing this chapter! Hope everyone likes it! Please give me your reviews :D **

**Chapter 4: Payback will be up ASAP! **


	4. Chapter 4-I: Payback

**~ Payback ~**

I had no idea how much time had passed since Erza and Gemini disappeared from sight. The uneasiness had built up inside of me as various disastrous images surfaced in my head. It probably hadn't been very long since they left the boat; at least it can't have been any longer than 15 minutes. Now seated on the boat, I stared intently at the pirate ship in the near distance, staying alert for any signs of commotion or distress. But there were none; it was quiet.

Without warning, the boat tilted to the right, and to maintain balance, I reflexively gripped the edge of the plank I was seated on. Gray abruptly stood up and bent over to Natsu. My eyes followed his movements and I saw that Natsu was falling over the edge! I hurriedly leaned over to pull him back in, but my sudden movement completely tipped the boat and I tumbled over the edge with Natsu.

_Urgh, not again, _I thought as we splashed into the sea. This was the second time I had fallen into the water today. I clutched Natsu for our dear lives as we both submerged underwater. I had no idea what just happened on the boat. With the semi-conscious Natsu in my arms, I was struggling to get both our heads above the water when, suddenly, something rough brushed past the back of my thighs and startled me.

"Lucy, watch out!" Gray's voice was muffled.

_"If I recall, we should be sailing over the Sea of Sharks any minute now." _The words from the pirate captain rang in my head. I began to worry and my attempts to emerge from the waters got more desperate. I kicked my legs and flailed my free arm frantically. It didn't work and it felt like we were both drowning. With a burst of energy, I forcefully pushed Natsu above the waters and let go. I thought I would become food for a shark. The rough feeling returned and this time it pressed against the back of my thighs. I was freaking out, but strangely, I felt that I was being pushed upwards.

My head finally surfaced and I could hear my heart pounding. Now that I could breathe, I held Natsu close and kept us both above the water. My eyes darted warily around the area, searching for a fin or something that might indicate the presence of a shark. There was nothing. Or so I thought, until I saw a body materialize from nothingness and it circled us. _I swear, a second ago, there was nothing in the water. _It looked strange, but it was definitely a shark. Its body was flat, but not as sleek thin as that of a sting ray. It was a metallic blue-green colour, more blue than green, and it was translucent. Being that way, I could hardly see it as it almost camouflaged into the surrounding waters. But there's no denying it; it was a shark, and it was swimming around us in circles.

I swallowed hard and stayed as still as possible, hugging Natsu close to me. _Was it going to attack us? _I searched for Gray and the ice boat, but I couldn't find them. Instead, I spotted Gray flying in the sky, crouched low on what looked like an ice kite. _Whatever happened to the boat? _Stranded in the sea, I was defenseless. With Gemini's gate open, I couldn't open another. Gray observed from above, but he did not make a move on the shark.

But then again, the shark had not attacked us either. _On second thought, it felt as though… the shark just helped me…!? _I was truly bewildered. _Was it a friend, or was it a foe? _

"Are you okay?" Gray called from above.

"Yeah, somehow we're fine." I replied, trying not to yell too loudly in case the shark got annoyed and decided to eat me after all.

"The boat melted. At least at Natsu's spot it melted. And then water started pooling and it tilted the boat over."

_Okay… But now what? _I was barely keeping both of us afloat, and I couldn't support Natsu's weight for that long.

"Happy…" Natsu said, just loud enough for me to hear.

"Huh?" I thought that was just his motion sickness talking, but when I looked up, I saw a small speck of blue flying towards us. "Happy!" I called out.

"Everyone~!"

Erza and Gemini did not follow behind.

"Where's Erza?" Gray asked.

"Before that, help me!" I cried out. I felt my strength waning with every circle the shark swam.

"Aye!" Happy exclaimed before swooping down and grabbing Natsu by the collar with his little front paws. He rapidly flapped his wings and lifted Natsu out of my arms. Upon taking off, Natsu stirred as though he'd just awaken from a slumber.

"Lucy, watch out! There's a shark!" Happy shouted, just as he dragged Natsu out of the water.

"I know!" I shouted back. "But it seems friendly!"

"What? A friendly shark? Where? Where?" Natsu excitedly cut in. It was the most animated I've seen him since the beginning when the pirate ship first sailed off. He fidgeted eagerly, looking for the shark.

"Umm…" I squinted my eyes a little. It was tough to spot but it was still in the area. "There!" I shouted and pointed at it as soon as I spotted it.

"Waaaaaah…" Natsu was completely fixated on it. That childish side of him resurfacing told me that his motion sickness had vanished.

"Hey, hey, hey! What about the pirates and Erza?" Gray repeated.

"Oh! Erza is already kicking their butts!"

"What?! She didn't wait for me!" Gray sped off on his kite before he finished his words.

"Happy, let's go. I can't wait to burn that bastard to crisps for what he did to us." Natsu said cold-bloodedly.

"Eh… What about me?" I know carrying two people would be too heavy for Happy, but how would I get there? And then, as though it understood that entire conversation, the shark swam beneath me and before I knew it, I was whisked off in the direction of the pirate ship. Under the immense speed, it seemed like the shark only glided in the waters. Initially, I was frightened by the shark's sudden movement, but as the wind blew in my hair, it also blew away all my troubled feelings.

* * *

Shortly, I arrived at the pirate ship. The sound of blades clashing resounded. _That must be Erza. _Happy and Natsu had also reached and they hovered above the ship. The shark swam along the side of the pirate ship and came to a flight of ice stairs. _Definitely meant for me, thanks Gray. _

"Thank you, shark!" I exclaimed as I raced up the steps. They led me straight to the deck. My eyes took in the battle scene that greeted me; the pirates were flanked out around the door that opened to the captain's chambers, blocking Erza from directly accessing it. With a glance, I knew the captain was not in the fight. I could tell straightaway because he would have stood out with his height.

Erza, donned in her Black Wing Armour, was ferocious. She was faster than my eyes could follow as her wings helped her glide around. First she was there, and then she wasn't. I could only trace her movements as the trajectory of her attacks glowed each time she swung her saber. She rushed past her targets, slashing in a cross pattern. She made the worst enemy but the best comrade.

From Gray, at least 10 lances sprouted as he put his fist over his palm. The lances shot through the air and impaled the enemies around. The rage and vengeance in both their attacks were evident, and it turned them into the most formidable foes these pirates have ever met. _Is this the strength of Fairy Tail? _

I wasn't about to just stand around and watch. No, I had to find Gemini.

"Erza! Where's Gemini?" I yelled over the clanging of swords, keeping a safe distance from the battle that surrounded her. Everyone was so occupied trying to defend against the menacing Erza that I wasn't even deemed as a threat.

"Where's the asshole who tied us up?!" Natsu roared from above.

"He hid in his cabin as soon as I started my attack!" Erza shouted as she just sliced another guy. _Why does this pirate crew seem unusually large? _

"That coward…!" Natsu growled and then he swooped down, bypassing the pirates that skirted the door and he kicked the door open. I thought he would fire straightaway, but he just hovered outside the door. "How come there's two of him?!" _Gemini! _

"One of them is Gemini! But they will lose the transformation any time now!" I yelled to Natsu. I wanted to rush over there too, but then I saw the pirates that barricaded it and I hesitated. Instead of rushing to my death and trying to barge through those armed pirates, I ran up onto the raised deck and shouted down from above, "Gemini! I'm up here!"

After I called out to them, they floated up from the room in their blue alien form, and they perched on the railings of the raised deck. Three gunshots fired, apparently at Natsu, but Happy and Natsu managed to dodge them all. Tired of wasting anymore time, Natsu shouted, "Ready, Happy?" and then flames engulfed his entire body. All of a sudden, they charged forward at an unruly speed.

"FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN!"

A loud explosion followed and the boat shook. I whipped round in reaction to the sound, only to see Natsu shoot through the sky with a pillar of fire trailing behind him. They had burst through the wall of the room and sent the captain flying through the air. It was a magnificent sight to behold; the flames of bright orange and red blazed across the sky.

"Natsu! Don't destroy the ship!" Erza called out from behind, but I wasn't sure if Natsu heard her.

Somebody tapped my shoulder and I shifted my attention back to Gemini. But when I turned around, I received the shock of my life as I saw the captain towering over me. I almost ran for my life but soon I realized it was just Gemini who had transformed into him again.

"Byro Cracy: Commander of Zentopia's pirate force, captain of Zentopia's elite pirates. Current thoughts: aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-"

"Where's the treasure map?" I hastily cut in _as amusing as it was to hear the screams of that guy…_

"The treasure map is beneath his personal room. There is a trap door underneath his desk." _A trap door? Why didn't I see it? Oh right, because Natsu burst through the doors… and yeah, you know the rest. _

"Thanks, Gemini!" And with a _poof, _they undid the transformation and became their cute little selves again.

"Bye bye, Lucy!" They waved in unison and then they returned to the Celestial world.

I turned my attention back to the ongoing fight below. The pirate numbers have diminished and some jumped off the ship in despair. I thought they were smart to do so; they had a better chance of surviving in the waters than if they were to face the wrath of Fairy Tail. By now, a group had surrounded Gray as well, but Gray suddenly yelled, "Ice Make: Prison!" and a huge ice cage appeared. He then landed on the cage's roof and agilely somersaulted off. At least twenty people were now trapped in that ice prison.

Erza finished off the remaining that were still outside the cage. At this point, Natsu and Happy returned. "Yeah! That's how we do it!"

Only the caged pirates remained to hear Natsu rejoicing. By now they realized they were pitifully trapped; their swords and daggers did no damage to Gray's solid ice, they couldn't even leave a scratch.

Still dangling on Happy's paws, Natsu kept moving and punching his fists in the air triumphantly. "Behold, the power of Fairy Tail!" He shouted.

"Natsu! Stop moving! I can't- ah!" And then I watched as Happy's flight dipped and Natsu slipped out of his grasp, crashing onto the deck floors face first. My heartbeat quickened when I saw that he laid there motionless. Without much thought, I rushed down from the raised deck and kneeled beside him. I flipped him over, and then he groaned "Ugh…" _Well, he's not dead. _

"Natsu? Can you hear me?" I said, but then I realized- something I had momentarily forgotten- that this was just his extreme motion sickness kicking in.

"Sorry, Natsu," said Happy, who floated in midair above us.

I leaned back, relieved, and I looked around and took in my surroundings. The sun was lower now but the sky remained cloudlessly blue. Apart from the three of us and the ice cage of prisoners, nobody else was on the deck. "Where did Erza and Gray go?" I asked Happy.

"They went to check the cabins for any hiding crew members." Looking at the size of this ship, there were probably several cabins below the deck and a really huge storage space beneath that. But then, I already knew about the storage space because I was there not too long ago.

Just then, Gray came up from the underground parts. "There's no one down there." He announced. Almost immediately, Erza also emerged from some stairs at the other end of the ship. She strode over and declared, "It's clear on that side too. Well, that's it then, we're taking over the ship now."

_Okay. Wait, what-?_

* * *

_Boy, the sea breeze felt good. _I leaned against the railings and watched the sky change colour. It had gone from blue to purple, and now it was an orangey pink. The sound of the ocean was soothing and I was relaxed. It was almost like nothing had happened today- _Yeah, except, we just hijacked a ship?!_

With the captain gone, there was an obvious transfer of authority. The remaining pirates that were caged had given up trying to resist. Erza and Gray tied them all up and together, the prisoners occupied all the cabins below the deck. When they were being moved, I noticed that one of them was a petite girl. And then I couldn't help but wonder. _What was a young girl like that doing on a pirate ship? Was she really a pirate? _But then again, the fact that she got captured in Gray's ice cage said something about her too so I stopped dwelling on it. It would be a different story if she were found when Erza and Gray scanned the ship though.

"Lucy!"

I turned around automatically. It was Gray. He wore a white coat and he was fully clothed for once. _How rare. _

"It's dinner time. Come on." And then he walked along the side of the raised deck and entered a different door from the side. I followed him to that door which opened to a stairway, leading underground. Erza and Gray had already begun exploring the ship while I was out on the deck. The stairs led to a room that was relatively larger than the captain's chambers. It had a kitchen and several tables with barrels that served as chairs. Erza and Happy were already there.

I know Gray said dinner, but… _can any of them cook? _And then I was presented with heated up canned food so I never got my question answered. It made sense though, that a ship like this only had dried foods and canned stuff. Even though it was a huge ship, being a merchant guild, they would probably use more of the space for storing goods. _Speaking of which, I wonder where they keep their stolen goods… _

"Eat up! We have to get a move on after this." Erza said. "I don't know when the HQ of Zentopia will realize we've hijacked their ship and send reinforcements. So we better not stay too long."

We sat around one of the tables and ate our food.

"How are we going to sail this thing?" I asked casually.

"We'll figure it out somehow. Otherwise we'll let a few of the people out to help us…" said Erza.

"Is that really alright?"

"It's fine, as long as Happy doesn't get caught." Gray chipped in.

"Hey!" Happy retorted.

"I'm joking!" Gray said in his defense. "Anyway, Lucy, you've gotten the information about the treasure map right?"

"Uh huh. I know where to find it now."

"Great, then we should go!" Gray rapidly scooped the rest of his food into his mouth and then he stood up.

"You guys go ahead. I'll clean up here. Then I want to inspect the ship one more time." Erza said. And so, Happy, Gray and I left for the captain's chambers.

"It's underneath here." I said as I tapped my foot on the trap door half-hidden under the desk. I didn't notice it before when I first trespassed my way in.

"Okay, stand aside." Gray said. I took several steps backwards. Previously I wouldn't have been able to do so, but Natsu's stunt today had knocked down the wall. Gray then proceeded to push the desk aside, fully revealing the trap door below and we crouched down around it. It was a square door with the width of one person. It was of the same wood as the rest of the floor so it blended well. There was no lock of any kind, so Gray just opened it.

It opened up to a hatch that was rather dark. Light from the room shone down but it was still dim and I couldn't tell how deep or how large the space down there was. There were also no stairs, so I looked to Gray. He stood up and then he jumped in with both feet. His entire height dropped down and I heard him land with a thud. _So, it's at least Gray's height huh? _

Since it was just to retrieve a treasure map, I decided not to go down there. Instead, I surveyed the room while I waited for Gray to return. I walked over to the bookshelf and started looking through the book titles. It felt strange that a pirate owned books, but then again, the books had titles like 'World Atlas' and 'Sea Weather' so I guessed that these books weren't for entertainment. Then, a certain title caught my eye.

_Swimming with the Sharks. _I picked it up and flipped it open. On the right page, the large words 'Rare Species' occupied the entire page, marking the start of a new chapter. I turned to the next page and a full-paged picture immediately captivated me- it was a picture of the shark we saw today.

"Come look at this, Happy!" He flew over at my call and sat on my shoulder.

"Oh! It's the huge fish from today!" He exclaimed as he recognized the shark in the picture.

On the left page, it read:

_'__**Angel Shark**_

_The Angel shark is the only shark in the world that is friendly to humans. It is also one of the few sharks in the world that can turn invisible…' _

That's incredible!

Then I skipped the rest of the paragraph and just read the info.

_'World Population: Unknown. _

_Length: Estimated 1.5-3m _

_Weight: Unknown. None have been caught before. _

_Colour: Metallic blue-green, translucent when visible. _

_Diet: Unknown _

_Behaviour: _

- _Seem to swim close to the water surface _

- _They have only ever appeared around humans who swim in the deep waters of the Sea of Sharks. _

- _They swim in circles around the humans that they spot. Experts believe it is a sign of protection. _

_Little is known about this shark because it rarely appears visible to others. It has only been sighted in the Sea of Sharks so far.' _

_Wow… _I was astounded upon reading this. I just couldn't believe my luck.

"Ah!" Gray's voice interrupted my thoughts. I chucked the book back on the shelf and rushed back to the hatch opening.

"Gray?" I shouted.

"I'm fine! I just knocked into some stuff." His voice came from the darkness. "Lucy, are you sure it's here? I can't find it."

"Yes, Gemini can't be wrong." I replied. "Wait, I'll get down there!"

I thought about jumping down, but then I decided against it because I knew I wouldn't land on my two feet. Instead, I summoned Sirius, shrunk him to crystal ball size and he shed some light into the hatch. There was a mechanical folded ladder hanging on the underside, not too far from the opening. I pulled on it and with some difficulty, I managed to open it up and then I descended.

Shining the light around the room, I realized it was not some tiny space that acted as a safe, but it was actually a room. It was packed with lots of stuff like its some sort of storage. I wasn't sure if the place was already this messy before Gray entered.

"I can't find it." Gray repeated.

_Hmm… _I scanned the room once, trying to look for something that resembled a treasure map. I didn't see anything in the piles, but on one of the walls, there was a large blank parchment. _Why would anybody hang a blank piece of paper on the wall? _Gray had also come to notice it as I walked over to it.

"Could this be…?" I said as my right hand reached up to skim its surface.

"It's blank."

"And yet it's hung on the wall…"

"So… how do we read it?" He turned to look at me. _Good question. I have no idea. _

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from above and Gray and I instinctively looked at the opening. "Are you guys down there?" It was Erza's voice, and following which, her head popped up at the opening. "Did you guys find it?"

"Yeah. Err… No." I stammered. "Err… We think we've found it?"

She climbed down the ladder and came over.

"Hmm… A blank piece of paper hanging on the wall huh? Or at least it just appears to be blank…" She started examined the paper carefully.

_This is going to take awhile._

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hi everyone! Sorry it took longer than usual to update! I've been really busy this week. But as a sort of compensation (I guess?) this chapter is longer than the rest ^^ I hope you like it! Please continue to leave your reviews~ :D**

**Ok.. I just got carried away while writing this chapter. But I hope you like it!**

**** Updated 26/11/2012: I've decided to split this chapter instead (: **


	5. Chapter 4-II: Night Under the Stars

**~ Night Under the Stars ~**

Leaving Sirius to float in midair, I wandered around the room. It was messy, but… _It looked like the kind of place where stolen goods were stored, you know? _So I got curious. I wandered to the other side of the room where boxes were piled up on top of each other. Barely within my reach, piled up at the top, were two cylindrical-shaped pillows. When I managed to get them down, I realized they were rolled up sleeping bags. _How odd, _I thought. They looked really normal, so why would they be here? But anyway, I figured they might be useful tonight as all the rooms were occupied, so I took them.

Erza and Gray were still staring at that blank piece of paper. I was tired after a day's adventure and the map clearly wasn't going anywhere anyway, so I told Erza and Gray I was gonna retire for the day and then I left. On my way out of the room, I grabbed the book about sharks. _Natsu's gonna love this, _I thought.

* * *

The sky had turned dark when I came onto the deck again. It seemed even darker than usual because we were out in the middle of the ocean, but there were also more stars than usual. I strode over to Natsu at the other end of the deck; I could still see him because of his pink hair.

"Natsu."

"…Hah…?" _So he's semi-conscious._

I put the book down and rolled out both the sleeping bags side by side. I zipped open the one that was closer to Natsu and then I tried to shove him into it. But he wouldn't budge. I paused, trying to think of another way.

"Natsu, can you roll?" I asked.

Then he obliged and rolled into the sleeping bag. He faced me as he lay on his side, _and I think I saw his eyes widen in surprise…? _

"EHH?! Suddenly I don't feel sick anymore!" Natsu exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Huh? Really?"

Then he abruptly sat upright, but immediately swayed and collapsed back onto the sleeping bag. "EHHHH? It only works when I lie down?"

_Was it the sleeping bag…? _I quickly went to the other one and inspected it. On the inside, where the blanket flap joined with the base, there was a tag.

"Full Heal Sleeping Bag: Restoring Perfection!" I read the label.

"Full Heal Sleeping Bag?" Natsu repeated after me, the awe in his voice was apparent.

I was in shock. These pirates actually had such an item? I had heard of this item before. It wasn't an illegal item, but it was extremely rare in Fiore because its creator was from another country. In Fiore, its market price was probably a few hundred thousand jewels!

"Cures the user from any condition as long as he/she lies down…" I finished reading the label.

"Amazing!" Natsu exclaimed. "Now I feel great as long as I lie in this bag!"

I didn't really like the idea of using such expensive and probably stolen goods of these Zentopia pirates… But then, Natsu was so lively, so I decided that we'll just use them while we're on the ship.

I crawled into the other sleeping bag beside him with the shark book. "Hey Natsu," I said, as soon as I was snugly wrapped in the sleeping bag.

"Hmm?"

"You remember the shark we saw today?"

"Yeah."

I flipped the book open to that page, and said "It's an extremely rare Angel shark." as I passed it to Natsu. I turned to my side and studied his reaction as he stared at the picture on the right page. His expression changed from surprise to wonder and his eyes glimmered with excitement.

"Wow… So we got lucky huh?"

"Yup!"

Then he put the book aside and without the book in between, his eyes met mine. _Bathump! _My heartbeat quickened and my thoughts scattered.

"Thank you for today." He spoke softly, his eyes not leaving mine. For a moment all words evaded me.

"It was not just in the water, but in the morning, on the train as well. Or even now. You take care of me… so thank you." He broke into a heart-melting warm smile and my heartbeat became erratic. I thought my face would turn red too if I continued to look at him, so I broke the connection and turned on my back.

Looking up at the starry sky, I recollected my thoughts and then I said, "It's okay. We're comrades." They were the very words he said to me that afternoon. "Right?"

"Heh, yeah." He replied, and then I heard him shift to his back as well.

The conversation paused, but even with the silence, my heartbeat did not slow. _Bathump, bathump, bathump! _I gazed at the stars and tried to slow my heartbeat. I wondered if he could hear it.

I started talking about something else, trying to ignore my fluttering heart, "You can see a lot of constellations in the sky out here."

"Huh? You mean stars?"

"Yeah. They form constellations. It's like a set of stars."

"Oh. Like what?"

_Hmm… _I scanned the sky to see if I could point out any simple ones to him. But then I gave up trying to choose because there were so many in the sky. I just picked one randomly and said, "You see that one right there? The bright one, it's quite bright." I pointed towards the shimmering star even though I wasn't sure if he could follow my finger.

"Eh…" His voice trailed off as (I think) he looked for it. "Ah! I think I see it!"

"That's Arcturus, from the constellation Bootes. It's the brightest star in Bootes, but not the brightest star in the sky."

"Hehhh…" He sounded amused. "Tell me more. Tell me everything you know about the stars."

It didn't feel like any time had passed, but the stars had moved so I knew some time had gone by. I was excited to share but I think I started ranting along the way. "…The brightest star is actually Sirius, but I think you can't see him now because he's lighting up the storage beneath the captain's room!"

I paused and looked over at Natsu. He was facing me again, this time with his eyes closed, but he still responded. "Is that so?" I paused as I studied his facial features. He was actually pretty good-looking.

I felt my heart skip a beat so I turned to the sky again. Absentmindedly I asked, "Hey, Natsu… I think that beyond the sky is actually the Celestial world… What do you think?" I turned to him, anticipating his response.

Then, with his eyes still closed, he murmured really softly. "I think…" _It's like he's sleep talking. _

"…I'm glad you joined Fairy Tail, Lucy…"

[To be continued…]


	6. Chapter 5: Light the Way

**~ Light the Way ~**

"Oi…!" Gray's voice called from some distance away.

_…_

"Oi, oi, oi… what are you guys doing?" His voice was louder now.

_Huh? … _I groggily opened my eyes and- "WAH!" Natsu was incredibly close and I automatically sat up. Now wide awake, I surveyed my surroundings: The sky was light blue and the sun was up. A half-naked Gray stared down at Natsu and me.

"You guys…" He said as he pointed at us and our sleeping bags- I mean _the _sleeping bags.

I looked at Natsu, he was sprawled out on his front, unmoving, and his right hand draped over my thighs, where my waist would have been if I were still lying down… As I realized how intimate we were, I felt my face flush moderately pink and I got up quickly. _Okay, so maybe Gray was just referring to us. _

When I got up, I saw that the sleeping bags now slightly overlapped in the middle. We probably just moved in our sleep, I assumed.

"You're too noisy, Gray." Natsu grumbled as he lethargically rolled onto his back.

"Someone who only slacks around has no right to say anything." Gray remarked.

"It's not like I _want_ to slack around!"

_Okay, okay, better not let this argument escalate._ "Gray, did you guys figure out anything after I left yesterday?"

He shook his head as he replied, "Nope."

"Oh." _That's not good. _

"That's why we should quickly figure it out and get off this ship, so c'mon, let's go." And with that, he walked off.

"Oi! Bring the map here! I want to see it too!" Natsu yelled after Gray, but he was ignored.

"Sorry, Natsu." I said, and I followed Gray into the captain's chamber.

As I walked up to the opened trap door, I saw some books laid out open on the desk. _Somebody's been reading. _I went down the hatch after Gray. Even though it was daytime now, sunlight couldn't penetrate into that cellar. Erza and Happy were already there, staring at the blank parchment on the wall.

"Good morning, Erza, Happy!" I greeted them.

"Good morning, Lucy." Erza replied. "Any ideas?"

I stepped closer to the paper and scrutinized it. "Maybe we need some sort of a magic magnifying glass or some special light or something? Have you guys tried anything?"

"No, we haven't." Erza said.

_There's something strange about it being kept down here though, almost as if there's a unique reason for that… _But other than that thought I had no ideas- I was stumped. How did that guy read something that couldn't be seen? _It can't be… voice recognition? _

"Let's ask the captain himself…" And I took my Gemini key from my waist. "Open the Gate of the Twins! Gemini!" The pair of twins manifested from thin air and they levitated in the center of all of us.

"Gemi, Mini, can you transform into Byro Cracy again?" They nodded in unison and then they transformed into that towering form, dressed in the blue-gold ensemble that the captain wore the day before.

"Is this the map?" I asked Gemini as I pointed to the paper behind them on the wall.

"Yes." _So, that's confirmed then. _

"Tell us everything he knows about this map."

"Byro Cracy's thoughts about the treasure map: An important mission from the higher-ups. Will burn when exposed to sunlight."

"That explains why it's in the basement." Erza said my thoughts aloud.

"Then how did he move it here?" Gray asked, and my curiosity was piqued.

"It was transported in a black box."

And then I asked the most important question, "How do you read it?"

One… two… three seconds passed, but there was no response. _I knew what that meant, but I had hoped it wouldn't come to this. _I glanced at Erza on my left, and then at Gray, both of them had a hopeful look. And then I turned back to the copy of Byro Cracy.

"There's no information on that." Gemini stated after that short pause.

I sighed. "It means that the captain himself didn't know how to read it…" I clarified, and as if on cue, Gray sighed.

"So… it's a dead end huh?" Erza said.

Hoping there might be a clue in it, I asked. "Where's the black box now- Ah!" I recalled something and without waiting for Gemini's response, I climbed back up to the room with one open wall.

_There it was! _A long rectangular box lay on the desk. I remembered seeing it yesterday, and also when I first infiltrated the room.

"Is it this one?" I called. Gemini in Byro Cracy's body climbed out of the hatch and said, "Yes."

I examined the box. It had a velvet exterior with no design. It was plain and unassuming, just like the parchment it had encased. When I lifted the lid, the interior was lined with a different material in the same black as the exterior. At one glance, I could tell it was just a regular sunlight-proof box.

"There's nothing in it." I declared and then I climbed back down into the hatch and showed them the empty box. It was obvious to everyone that we wouldn't gather any hints from it.

"So what now?" I voiced the question that was on everybody's minds.

"We're stuck…" Happy said glumly.

"That's it? We just sit around and wait for inspiration?" Gray said.

"That would take too long and we don't have time." Erza said. "Let's ask the guild for help."

* * *

"…And that's how it is." Erza finished explaining the situation.

"So, anyone thought of anything?" Gray asked.

Out on the deck, where Natsu could see, we all looked at the communication lacrima crystal ball. Erza had discovered it while she was inspecting the ship. This lacrima was bigger than the orb Byro used when I was still held captive, it was near my height but still shorter than me. With Erza's inhumane strength, she easily moved it out onto the deck. Right now, it showed us the bar in the guild house. Only a few people were within the lacrima's field of vision: Mirajane, Levy, Cana and Lisanna. I may not know all the guild members well, but I at least knew everybody's names.

"I've never heard of such a map before," Levy said. "But I can check some books. Give me a moment!" And then she walked out of the lacrima's view.

"Anyway, you guys hijacked a Zentopia pirate ship?" Lisanna said. Her disapproval was shown on her face and apparent in her voice. "Geez, that's too reckless!"

Cana laughed rowdily and slammed the table several times. Amidst her laughter she exclaimed, "That's _so _like you guys!"

"Master will be furious when he finds out." Mirajane warned.

"Don't tell him until we get back!" Natsu said.

"Eh, Natsu? You're fine even though you're on a ship?" Lisanna was concerned.

"Yeah! Because of this special sleeping bag that Lucy found!" He beamed widely as he pulled on the bag's cover.

"Oh? Where did you find it?" Lisanna's question was directed at me.

"Eh…" _How should I say it? _

"Hehehe… She stole it from the pirates' storage!" Happy snickered.

"What are you saying! I borrowed it, borrowed!" I immediately retorted. But everyone around me started laughing and I felt hints of pink sneak into my cheeks.

"Hahahaha! Lucy, you're already being influenced by these guys!" Cana said before she chugged down another mug of beer.

"I'm back!" The laughter ceased when Levy popped up closer to the lacrima's screen this time, blocking out everyone else in the background.

"So? Did you find anything?" Erza prompted, all serious again.

Levy looked down at an open book in her hand and then looked up at us with an apologetic frown on her face. _Doesn't seem to be good news._ "There's stuff here about many types of maps. Maps that activate with specific command words, maps that are drawn in invisible ink, even maps that only become readable when held up towards the sunlight… but there's nothing about maps that burn up in the sun…"

"I see… Then, I guess we won't find any clues here." Erza said.

"Sorry, I couldn't be of much help…"

"It's okay. We'll call again if we need any research." Gray was about to disconnect.

"Wait!" I exclaimed. A thought suddenly occurred to me. "What about the paper? Are there any special types of parchment that combust under the sun? Or any kind that have a unique relation to sunlight?"

"Ah right! If it burns under sunlight then it might have something to do with the paper!" Erza caught up with my train of thought easily.

"Hmm…" Levy pondered about it for awhile. "I'm not sure if there's something like that, but I remember reading something about special paper… Wait, I'll go find that book!" And then she left the screen for the second time.

My instincts told me I was on the right track, and it felt like Levy would never return as I waited. But, of course, eventually she did.

"Right here!" Her eyes lit up as she found something in the book and started reading aloud. "Parchments that absorb energy. Such parchment is usually used for sensitive information. The kind of energy that it can absorb either reveals what is written or destroys the whole parchment altogether. If it can absorb two types of energy, they are usually of two opposing elements- one will reveal what is concealed, the other destroys the parchment."

_That's it!_

"Such a thing actually exists?" was Gray's response.

"But the element opposite of sunlight is…?" Erza asked.

"The sun is like fire right? So maybe its opposite is ice?" Levy suggested, and spontaneously, we all looked at Gray.

"But if it's not, I don't want to be responsible for destroying it!" Gray said as he held both hands up in the air in the surrender pose.

"Cheh! Loser." Natsu taunted.

Gray would have retorted but Levy spoke as she flipped through a few pages. "It doesn't say anything about using alternative elements, but magical parchment is usually pretty resilient, so you can try it out. If anything might go wrong then it should be written here."

"Let's try it." Erza asked.

"Ok." Gray replied. "Thanks, Levy. I'll disconnect for now."

"No problem!" Levy said, and then her face in the lacrima faded.

* * *

We reassembled before the parchment again, all of us except Natsu.

"Here goes." Gray said as he held up his hands to the parchment. Then he froze the parchment in a thick layer of ice which spread outwards from his hands. We all stared fixedly at the map and I held my breath. After a while we realized nothing was showing up and we all sighed in chorus.

After that, we tried everything. We tried freezing it for a longer span of time. We tried freezing and unfreezing it rapidly. We thought maybe the opposite element was water and we splashed some water on it. We even tried letting ice melt off. But nothing worked.

Taking a break, we all dispersed from that underground basement. Happy had immediately flown off to look for big fish in the sea. Erza continued reading those books on the desk. She said she was learning how to operate the ship. And when I asked her, "Does it work like that?" she didn't respond because she was too engrossed, so I just left her to it. Gray went to feed the prisoners. I shuddered at the thought of 20 or so unhappy pirates packed in small cabins so I didn't accompany him. Other than the captain's chambers, the cellar and the kitchen, I didn't venture to any other parts of the ship. I just sat out on the deck with Natsu.

When I updated Natsu about the progress with the map, his response was just 'Ugh'. Then we chatted all afternoon. He told me the story of how he found Happy as an egg and how he and Lisanna raised the egg together.

"…We named him Happy because Fairy Tail seemed happier with him around. He's like a pet now. Other than Igneel, I don't have any other family. Oh, but Fairy Tail is family."

Listening to him talk, I somehow understood what he meant.

"Igneel is…?"

"Igneel is my father!" He proudly announced. "He's a dragon who taught me Dragon Slayer magic and I became a Dragon Slayer thanks to him."

"Oh! Then is that why you can hear things from afar?" I've always wanted to ask him about this but I always forgot.

"Yep! But not only that! I can smell things from afar as well." He beamed his signature smile.

"I see…" Memories of previous situations and some words he had said before made more sense to me now.

"Yeah, so Igneel's my _family _family, you know? And Fairy Tail is my other family. What about Lucy?"

"Me?" _This question was unexpected _and it caught me off guard.

"Lucy's family- apart from Fairy Tail, of course- what are they like?"

"Eh…" _Was I ready to talk about them? _I looked at him, in the sleeping bag. He wore an eager look of anticipation, and I decided to reveal a little of my past.

"My mother passed away when I was ten…" I started off hesitant. "She was a Celestial mage too. Everybody says I'm just like her. I have the same magic as her and I look like her…" I couldn't help but smile melancholically as I talked about her.

"Then… What about your father?"

Instantly my mood shifted, from serene to antagonistic. "He doesn't care about me. All he does is work and work. What's the whole point if he doesn't do anything else? And his precious 'Heartfilia Konzern' doesn't even mean a thing to me!"

When I finished, Natsu didn't say a word. I realized I had let too much of my anger seep through and the atmosphere got awkward. So I looked up at the sky and was enthralled by the pretty colours. It was dusk again; another day had passed, but we were still on this ship…

"Yo Gray." It wasn't until Natsu spoke that I noticed Gray standing behind me.

"Oh, Gray, is it dinner time already?" I casually said.

"Almost."

"Oi Gray, bring me some food." Natsu demanded.

"No way!" Gray refused, but his tone was joking. Without giving Natsu a chance to protest, he continued, "How can the skies be this breathtaking when the day is ending and the sun is setting?" He marveled at the beautiful sunset too.

"It's because the sun is setting that's why it can look this beautiful, isn't it?" I said.

"Hah! Gray, you idiot, you got it the opposite way round. If the sun doesn't set, then how will the moon and stars come out?"

_Sun… Opposite… Moon… _

"OH!" Gray exclaimed. We exchanged glances and I knew we had both thought of the same thing.

"NATSU, YOU'RE A GENIUS!" I burst out.

"Huh? Really I am?" He looked so confused.

"No, you're not. You're an idiot." Gray mocked him.

I ignored their bickering and declared, "The opposite of sunlight is moonlight!" before I ran off to tell Erza. Gray's enthusiasm matched mine and he dashed after me.

"Wait! Bring me along!" Natsu yelled. But I didn't stop because there was no need to. The map was coming out to him anyway.

* * *

The stars shone brightly, but they weren't the focus of tonight. It was the moon we were waiting for. It hid shyly behind the clouds, its light dimmed by them. The map was spread out on the deck floors and we all either sat around it or lay beside it and stared up at the moon veiled by the clouds. I sat cross-legged and my right leg shook impatiently as the wait for that cloud to move grew arduously long. _Why is it taking so long? _

"I hope it's right this time…" I heard Gray mutter, but I didn't shift my gaze from the moon (or that cloud).

"Otherwise we have to just take the map and abandon this ship." Erza said.

"Hey that doesn't sound like a bad idea!" That was Natsu, all too eager to get off all transport.

"Did you burn your brains? It's obviously because the treasure was _out at sea _that's why Zentopia leaders gave Byro Cracy the map!"

"Shut up! What would an ice cube like you know?"

"More than you, squinty eyes!"

"What did you say, you droopy eyes?!"

"You guys-"

"It's out!" I yelled, cutting Erza off and disrupting Gray and Natsu's idle bickering.

Everyone immediately looked up and then we all saw it; the moon peeking out behind the clouds. A few seconds later it was fully unveiled. It wasn't a full moon, but it was almost full. It emitted a luminescent glow that was both breathtaking and bewitching. If it weren't for the equally luminous glare out of the corner of my eye, I would have forgotten about the map.

"Wow." Gray awed at the glowing parchment. _Damn right, wow. _

We all crouched down to it now (except Natsu who just lay there, of course). Streaks of light drew out a map, making the entire parchment glow under the moonlight. It was difficult to read white light against off-white old parchment, so I held the map up high against the sky. The entire background then turned transparent, leaving only the deep blue dark sky backing the white light. _Wow. _

A crescent-shaped island was mapped out on the paper. _Where is this place? _

"It's Galuna Island." Erza answered my unspoken question. _Of course, she who had been studying those pirates books would know. _

"Waaaahh…" Natsu marveled.

"I know right? Isn't this magnificent?" I was so excited to see this cosmic glow.

"Look for the treasure everybody!" Erza reminded us of our purpose.

"Eh… Over there, there's a star." Gray pointed out.

A five-pointed star marked a spot on the island. The star was opaque, unlike the outline of the island which was translucent.

"Damn, the ship is off course." Erza abruptly said.

I put the map down and everyone looked at her.

"We'll have to steer it in the right direction. And we're gonna need some help from the people below." She said resolutely and somberly.

"Eh? Are you sure?" I asked. It didn't feel safe to let them out, even if it was just one or two. After all, they had every reason to seek revenge on us.

"Yes. There's no helping it. Natsu is perpetually unusable. But even if he were usable, the 4 of us can't sail a ship, even if I knew how." Erza said. "Things like navigation and steering, we can manage. But for stuff like rigging, we need someone who's experienced."

"Then who do we release?" Gray was like the prison guard. Suddenly, that little girl's face flashed across my mind.

"Find someone who knows how to rig the ship and work the sails." Erza said, and I found myself feeling slightly disappointed. _There's no way a little girl like that would know about all these, would she…? Wait, why am I so concerned about her? _

"Ok," said Gray.

"Alright. So Gray, get two people out, and Happy, please fly around and keep a lookout for any trouble. Lucy, I need your help to supervise one of the two pirates later." Erza firmly gave the orders.

"Aye!" Happy shouted.

"You're all dismissed! Let's get to Galuna Island before the sun comes up!" Erza shouted with newborn determination in her voice. With that, everyone dispersed in different directions, leaving Natsu lying there alone.

* * *

I ran after Gray. "Wait up, Gray!"

He spun around and halted. I caught up quickly and then he started walking again. "What's up, Lucy?"

_Erza said two, right? So there's a chance that girl can be freed. _"Um… Is there a little girl amongst the prisoners?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Can we release her?"

"Why?" He stopped abruptly right in front of me and stared me down, causing me to feel nervous, but also partly because he was shirtless…

Under his intense stare I stammered, "Eh… B- because she looks like sh- she doesn't belong amongst those pirates…?"

I could tell Gray did not approve of my sympathy for that girl, because after all, she was part of Zentopia. But then he gave a defeated sigh, and said, "Fine. But only if she knows the rigging and the sails." _Yes! _

When we got down to the cabins, I felt uneasy. Gray had frozen all the locks of the cabin doors, which, if you ask me, was kind of unnecessary because he and Erza had already tied up all of them. We entered one of the cabins, and I felt all of them staring at me. It made me uncomfortable and I wanted to get out, but I couldn't, not until I got the girl out too.

I saw her when we stepped into the room; brown hair tied in a low ponytail, with brown eyes to match. She looked like she was 12 years old or 14 at most. And then I noticed another female too. She had purple hair with a single wide streak of white. She was older than the brown-haired girl. But unlike the brown-haired girl, her eyes were full of hatred rather than fear.

"Who here knows how to rig and sail this ship?" Gray asked. But there was no response. None of them wanted to help- which was expected, of course.

I shot Gray a look that said _'so what do we do?' _and then he tried again. "If nobody comes forward, then no one in this room will get a meal tomorrow."

A slight commotion stirred amongst the pirates in the room.

"Oi, Coco!" A scruffy-looking guy yelled across the room and the brown-haired girl's head snapped up. _So, she's called Coco. _"You go help them."

"O-okay." Without any argument of sorts, Coco stood up shakily and stumbled towards us.

"I will go too." Much to our surprise, the purple-haired girl stood up. A nagging voice at the back of my head told me not to let her out. Her eyes were clouded as though they masked her true intentions. I wanted to tell Gray not to release her, but then she said, rather cockily, "I'm the one who checks the ropes when it's dark at night. You'll never find someone better than me on this ship."

So that was decided. Back on the deck, the prisoner's ropes were cut loose and everyone got to their respective positions. As the sails were let down (previously Erza tied them up because we had no definitive course yet), the winds got caught in them and I felt the ship gain speed.

_Treasure, here we come!_

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hey! This chapter took less time than I thought! Firstly, sorry if the romance-y parts are not really romance-y. But it will be a few chapters more before the real romance begins. **

**Secondly! I have no idea how an actual pirate ship works, and I don't think 3 people can sail a ship, but just go along with it? :D **

**Thanks for all the Favourites/Follows & reviews so far! ^^ **


	7. Chapter 6: Real Nightmare

**~ Real Nightmare ~**

The ship had just done a 180 degree turn and according to Erza, we were now "in the right direction". Erza was behind the steering wheel. I sat at the bottom of the center mast, a few meters away from Natsu in the sleeping bag. I was Coco's supervisor, and Gray was Mary's supervisor. (Yes, that purple-haired girl was called Mary Hughes.) Coco was high up on the center mast, doing her stuff. Truthfully, I felt worried for the little girl as I watched her ascend the pole. But she was fast and agile, rendering my worries unnecessary.

"Lucy!" Erza called and I reflexively whipped round to look at her. "Come here, Lucy!"

"Be right there!" I yelled back. I looked at Coco apprehensively. _Will she try something if I leave for a moment? Better not risk it. _

"Natsu, can you hear me?" I whispered softly such that Coco, high up on the mast, could not hear me. But with Natsu's dragon-hearing, I was sure he heard me. "Watch the girl while I go see Erza, okay?"

"Ok!" Natsu replied in his normal volume, loud enough for my ears.

And then I walked away to see what Erza wanted. When I got there, she was struggling with a book under her arm, a compass in her right hand, and a large map (of Earth Land, not the treasure map) in her left. At that sight, I rushed up to her and relieved her of the book and the compass.

"Thanks." And then she held the map straight before her with both hands. "According to this map, we should head northeast…" Erza said without looking up from the map.

As I stood there like a coat hanger, I idly noticed the compass' needle spinning unsteadily. _That's… not how it's supposed to be… _

"Hey Erza, this compass looks spoiled."

"What! No! It's the only one I could find on the ship!" Her face frowned with worry as she grabbed the compass from me and shook it agitatedly. She was unwilling to accept defeat at the hands of yet another obstacle that was thrown at her. Looking at her trying her best, I really wanted to help her. All my life, I kept receiving help from everyone because I was surrounded by maids who did everything for me. _Don't get me wrong-_ I love them, they weren't just my maids. They were my only friends for the first 16 years of my life. But right now, I loved that I could finally be of some use to someone other than myself.

"Don't shoulder all the responsibility by yourself, Erza." I gave Erza a reassuring smile, passed her the book and then I pointed a silver key in midair. "Open the Gate of the Compass! Pyxis!"

_"Pikuuuu!" _A bird with a compass on its head cooed. Then that compass' needle spun madly, and when it stopped, Pyxis pointed towards Northeast with both his wings.

"Thanks, Lucy, you're a big help!" Her frown had cleared up and she was now smiling.

_"Pikuu!" _Pyxis refused to _not _be acknowledged.

"You too, Pyxis!" Erza smiled and then after referring to the book, she pulled a lever at the side and started turning the steering wheel, setting us on course.

* * *

Grey clouds loomed. The wind howled and the sky rumbled; a storm was brewing.

It seemed like forever that we were out at sea, and I was half-convinced we were lost, but Erza insisted that we weren't. Night time on the ship felt like we were on an isolated island as everything surrounding us was dark. I was bored as I sat leaning against the center mast. I didn't really have to keep an eye on Coco anymore, because Erza took over once she confirmed we were on track. Also, secretly- I don't know how to explain it- I felt like Coco would not harm us. So, I just sat there, yawning and nodding off.

It was a mistake, to let my guard down like that.

A loud crash shocked me wide awake and when I opened my eyes, the front mast was no longer standing. At the other end of the deck where the front mast had collapsed, icy blue streaks shot forward, aiming for the purple-headed silhouette that belonged to Mary Hughes. She sprang and somersaulted backwards nimbly, avoiding all of Gray's lances. Finally, when she neared the edge of the ship, she hopped onto the railings and jumped off. I stood there, dazed. It all happened so fast that I couldn't react.

_Plop! _Water splattered onto my cheek and I came round from my daze. I wiped my cheek and looked up. _Plop! Plop! Plop! _Three more droplets splattered on me. It had started to rain and in no time at all, the drizzle became a full on storm. I refocused on the current situation and I saw Gray. He now bent over the railings where Mary Hughes had jumped off, looking for signs of her.

It was too late; Mary Hughes had disappeared into the waters. And she had made sure to sabotage the ship before she escaped.

Panic arose within me as the pitter patter of rain on the wooden floors resounded and the ship got knocked around by the waves.

"Erza!" I yelled, scanning the entire deck for her. Through the curtain of rain, I saw her, running towards the fallen mast. She put her hands around it and tried to lift it up, but then stopped and shouted, "Gray, get over here!"

With Gray's help, and with much difficulty, the mast lifted off the deck for a few inches. _Can they fix it? No, they need more help. _As I raised a golden key up, I yelled, "Open the Gate of the Goat! Capricorn!"

"You called meh?" A very tall goat appeared in a butler outfit, his right hand on his left chest.

"Capricorn! Go! Help them lift the mast!" He sprinted in their direction. I knew with his enhanced strength, he would easily be able to lift it.

Then, there was a foreboding crack from behind me and I swiveled round. The center mast was tilting, the roaring winds further aiding it. Like a tree whose trunk had almost completely been sawed through, the mast swayed.

"Hyaaa!" A high pitched shriek came from above. _Coco!_

She dangled in the air, holding on for her dear life. But the rain was merciless and it drenched everything. Coco struggled to hang onto the pole but in the end she slipped. Watching her fall, my body acted on its own. I dived forward and caught her just before she hit the floor. With my rough landing on the wet floor, I skid across the deck and only stopped when my back hit the railings. _Ouch, that hurt._

I thought the worst was over, but when I looked up, I saw my impending doom. The unstable center mast was about to land on me and I had no time to escape. I tightened my arms around the girl, and winced in preparation for the huge impact. But after two seconds, I didn't feel it.

I half-opened my eyes precariously. When I saw Capricorn, holding up the mast above his head, both my eyes flew wide open in astonishment. Then with a grunt, he threw the mast aside and helped me and the girl up. As soon as we were standing, Coco pushed me away and then she shouted over the droning sound of raindrops, "Why did you save me?! Aren't we enemies?!"

But before I could answer, the ship rocked violently and anyone who was standing was now on the floor. I held onto the railings for support as I looked around. It was complete chaos. The ship had significantly tipped towards the direction which both the front mast and the center mast had collapsed. The wreckage was beyond salvageable.

Natsu had been jostled out of his sleeping bag, and he now sprawled against the railings. I can't imagine how he felt; it must feel like a nightmare for him. But this was not all smooth sailing for the rest of us either. My eyes searched for Erza and Gray, and I found Gray in the same spot, but now on the floor and leaning against the railings. Then I saw Erza run into the captain's chambers like her life depended on it.

"ERZA!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. _What was she doing? _I worried that some mishap might have befallen her. But then she emerged from the captain's chambers with a rectangular black box in her hands.

"The ship is useless now!" Erza yelled. "We have to evacuate!"

"How?" We all shouted over the rumbling storm. And then, unexpectedly, with a final toss by the ruthless waves, the ship jerked and I was flung overboard.

I didn't know what happened next. I didn't know what happened to everyone else.

_Hell, I didn't even know whether I would live. _

* * *

"Wake up! Lucy, wake up!"

Someone nudged me and I stirred.

"Lucy, wake up!" It was the same voice. It was Natsu's voice.

Then came Erza's. "Lucy, can you hear me?"

I coughed and spluttered, and then my eyes slowly opened. My vision was blurry, but after two blinks, my eyes focused and I saw three concerned faces who soon relaxed when they saw I was awake. Slowly, I sat up, propping myself up on my elbow. I saw Erza still held the black box, but the ship was gone. _So all that really happened… It wasn't a dream. _

"The ship sank." Erza said as she helped me to my feet.

"That Mary Hughes didn't even care if her crewmates drowned!" Gray was fuming.

"Those Zentopia bastards… That's no way to treat their crewmates." Natsu was angry too, and for once he agreed with Gray on something.

I was detached from the conversation. I was just coming to terms with what just happened, recalling and sorting out the memories. Everything felt so surreal. I remembered falling off the ship and drowning under the powerful waves. But that's about it. I must have blacked out after awhile. I thought I was dead for sure, but by some stroke of luck, here I was, safe with everyone. _Where is this place anyway? _

"Where are we?" I asked as I observed the setting. It was still night time, and all I could see was a sandy beach that stretched for miles. Further in the background, I could roughly make out what was dense vegetation.

Erza smiled when she replied. "I think we were so close to Galuna Island that we washed up onto its shore."

_Oh! _"Where's Coco?" I suddenly remembered her.

"Who?" Natsu had a clueless look.

"That girl." I just said.

"Don't know. She was gone when I woke." Gray said.

"Yeah, it was just the four of us on the shore when I woke up too." Erza confirmed Gray's statement.

_Oh… _I was contemplative for a moment. And then I questioned, "How do you know this is Galuna Island?"

"I don't know," Erza said. But then she pointed into the distance and continued, "But you see the way the coastline curves like that? I'm willing to bet it's Galuna Island's crescent shape."

That made sense. Plus, if we had really been heading in the right direction, then Galuna Island would be the nearest land and we would have naturally been swept up on its shore.

"But of course, just to double check, Happy is flying over the island." I hadn't noticed Happy's absence until Erza said that.

"And when he comes back, we'll go find the treasure!" Natsu was his usual overly-energetic self again.

"We don't even know that it's Galuna Island yet! At least think with your brain once in a while!" Gray shouted.

"My brain is fine! Unlike yours," Natsu retorted. "Put on some clothes before you talk about me, pervert."

That was when Gray himself (and I, too) realized that he had subconsciously stripped down to boxers only. "EH!" He looked down, honestly shocked, at his striped boxers. _Had he really not realized it?_

"What an idiot." Natsu continued.

Then Gray grabbed Natsu by his scarf and yelled in his face, "Did you just call me an idiot, you flaming piece of shit?!"

"You got a problem with it, you perverted punk?!"

"Someone with such weird fashion sense shouldn't talk about my clothes!"

"Says the person who doesn'twear any!"

"Stop fighting!" Erza shouted as she smacked the back of both their heads. "And put some clothes on, Gray."

They immediately stopped arguing but Gray still didn't put on any clothes.

"What do we do now, while we wait for Happy?" I asked and then I sneezed, even though I didn't feel cold. I had fallen into the sea so many times today that I got used to the wet feeling. Speaking of which, my clothes were filthy! There's sand stuck all over it and it smelled. Then I looked at everybody else's clothes. Erza was fine because she wore armour. Natsu wore black so any dirt wasn't very visible. And Gray… well, he had no clothes to speak of.

"We build a campfire and camp for the night. It's been a rough day. And whether this is the island or not, we'll need our strength when morning comes." Erza decided.

* * *

"Gray, aren't you going to put some clothes on?" I tried to look him straight in the face without feeling embarrassed but it was hard. He was still in his boxers.

"I can't, I don't know where my clothes went."

"Oh."

Gray and I were not too deep in the jungle, gathering branches and pieces of wood.

"Hmm… then, do you like being naked?" The question just slipped out of my mouth and I felt my face heat up as soon as I said it.

"No! Of course not!" He quickly replied, anxious to save his image, so that I didn't get the wrong idea. It was funny to see his reaction and I giggled.

"Then let's get some clothes. I wanna change out of this dirty outfit too." I smiled and then I summoned Virgo, "Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" The pink-haired, blue-eyed girl appeared in a maid uniform.

"Is it time for punishment, hime-sama?" She half-bowed with her right hand across her chest.

"Err… No." _Why does she always ask me that? _"Can you get us some clothes?"

"Certainly." She said, and then with a glow, a stack of folded clothes appeared in her hands.

I handed Gray the clothes. "Here, put these on."

"Thanks."

In about 5 minutes, we had both changed. I wore a pink camisole and a dark blue mini skirt. For Gray, it was a black T-shirt with an unbuttoned dark blue shirt and pants.

Of course, I didn't change in front of him; I changed behind a tree. When I was done, I thanked Virgo. To which she replied, "Am I going to be punished now, hime-sama?" After I told her no, she went back to the Celestial world. And then Gray and I started making our way back to the beach.

"Time for punishment, hime-sama?" Gray repeated mockingly after Virgo left. _He's making fun of me!?_

"Eek! Don't copy her!"

But he just laughed at me.

"I didn't tell her to call me that! She just did it on her own! And that punishment thing is her own thing too!" It was my turn to try and save my image.

"Yeah, sure."

Before long, we were back at the beach and Gray dropped the sticks onto the ground.

"We're back!" I announced.

"Oh, that was fast." Erza responded. "And I see you've put on some clothes, Gray."

"Keh! He'll just lose them again in no time…" Natsu scoffed.

"Where did you guys get the clothes?" Erza asked casually after she saw that I had changed too.

"Lucy's maid appeared."

"She's not my maid! She's my Celestial Spirit!" I corrected Gray.

"She's totally a maid! She calls you 'hime-sama'!" Gray would not stop teasing me.

All of a sudden, Natsu breathed fire in Gray's direction and Gray's shirt caught fire. But Gray swiftly put out the flame with his ice magic. Still, it was too late for the shirt and Gray was topless again.

"What was that for, you flame for brains?!" Gray yelled.

"I just felt like it." Though Natsu said it with a childish smile, something about him seemed off.

"Argh! I'm going to kill you!" And then Gray tackled Natsu. The two of them started brawling on the sand while I stood there dumbfounded.

At that moment, Erza stepped in. "Oi! Break it up!" She jumped straight in between them and broke up the fight. She was about to scold them but then Happy returned.

"Everyone!" That small voice directed all our attention to the blue flying cat in the dark sky. "Everyone, there's trouble!" The atmosphere became serious.

"What is it?" Erza asked.

"A Zentopia ship is approaching!"

_What! _"Another one?" I exclaimed and I turned towards the sea. But nothing was in sight.

"I don't see anything!" Natsu said as he looked out at the sea as well.

"It's not in the sea! It's flying in the sky!" Happy's voice was fearful.

_A pirate sky ship?! Where did Zentopia get their devices from?! _

"How far away is it?" Erza asked the practical questions.

But Natsu answered this time. "It's near. I can hear it." His tone was solemn and he had a serious look on his face.

"So they've come to us instead huh? I can't wait to get back at them for what Mary Hughes did." Gray was prepared too.

"How many people are coming?" Erza asked Happy.

"I don't know…" Happy replied in a small voice.

"Hold onto this, Lucy." Erza handed the rectangular black box to me and then her whole body glowed for a moment. She changed into her Black Wing Armour, but this time, she held two axes. _Something tells me this is going to be a long night. _

In the sky, some distance away, there was a ship which looked like the one that just sank in the ocean, but more heavily armed with canons poking out the sides. I secured the long rectangle box close to me with my left arm and I put my right hand on my keys at my side. _It's time to use him. _

From the corner of my eye, I saw Natsu flame up. "I'm all fired up," he went.

The ship approached the island at a creeping pace, and it started releasing parachutes.

"Oi, Natsu. Let's have a competition." Gray said as he cracked his knuckles.

Each parachute had a dark figure hanging from it. More and more of them appeared and to my horror, they filled the sky. As I realized that they were attackers, my hand instinctively gripped the golden key tighter.

"Let's see who kicks the most butts." Gray said.

"You're on." Natsu replied smugly.

Before the parachutes landed, gunshots started firing but with poor accuracy because of the distance and the unpredictable winds. It was meant to intimidate us, but still, within the blink of an eye, Gray had conjured up an ice shield after yelling "Ice Make: Shield!"

"Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy picked Natsu up and whizzed off. His flames blazed across the night sky, bringing down many people at one go.

Not wanting to lose, Gray also dashed out into the open and as though he was pulling a bow, his hands motioned. Without speaking any words, an ice bow appeared. And almost spontaneously, countless ice arrows shot through the sky. He hit many of the dark silhouettes.

Numerous have taken a hit yet more were still descending. _Just how many are there?! _By now, those who survived Natsu and Gray's first round of attacks had reached the ground and they opened fire. The bullets fired were glowing spots of green. _Of course they had magic guns…_

"Protect the map." Erza said before she shot off to the frontlines.

As a Celestial mage, I had a weak core body, but I didn't want to cower behind a shield while everybody was out there.

"Let's go, Loke. Open the Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

"Aahhh~ is it finally time again? Long time no see, Lucy." He had spiky orange hair that resembled a lion's mane and was impeccably dressed in a suit and tie as usual.

"Let's go!" I repeated. And we both raced out into the open.

I used my Fleuve d'etoiles to disarm and attack the enemies that approached us, but mostly, I disarmed them while Loke attacked. Loke had my back the whole time, and he deflected all bullets, that I failed to dodge, with Regulus. I trusted Loke with my life and we were perfectly in sync.

However, there were too many of them. Initially, Natsu, Gray and Erza all fought far away. But gradually, we got closer and closer together until we were almost back to back with each other. Natsu was also no longer suspended in the air with Happy.

"I've almost downed 80 here!" Gray yelled.

"86 over here!" Natsu yelled back conceitedly.

"Dammit, there's just too many." Loke now stood directly in front of me, guarding me protectively. Then he yelled, "Run!"

"No!" I cried instantly.

"He's right; we have to run for now!" Erza shouted as she kicked another opponent in the gut. She then followed up with a horizontal swing with her right axe, and spun her left axe before slicing vertically down.

Natsu and Gray backed away from the hoard of gunners once they heard Erza. But their attacks continued, one throwing fire, the other shooting ice.

"RUN! NOW! Into the forest!" Loke shouted even more sternly than before.

"NO!" I refused and tears started to form in my eyes.

"Go, go, go!" Erza shouted. Gray gave in and retreated into the jungle, swift as a ninja.

"I'll hold the fort here. Everyone go, including you Erza." As he said this, a large lion's face blasted forward from his Magic Seal in front of him.

"Sorry and thanks. I leave the rest to you then." After her final swing, she took off into the darkness of the jungle. With Erza and Gray gone, the pirates closed in around us, but Loke and Natsu kept them at a distance.

"LUCY, GO! I'M A SPIRIT I WON'T DIE!"

_How could I? Even if he's a spirit, he's not a shield. _

He knew why I refused to leave, so next he said, "I'm meant to protect you!"

"Lucy, we should go." Natsu said gently.

"NATSU! TAKE HER AND GO!"

With that, Natsu grabbed my right hand and yanked me into the jungle.

* * *

I could just barely keep up with Natsu. We were weaving through the jungle at a great speed. The rustling of leaves, and the occasional snap of a twig, was all I could hear as he led the way. _I should have forced Loke's gate close. _

Tears were brimming in my eyes. I could not wipe them away as my left hand clutched the rectangular box close to my chest and my right hand was held by Natsu. The tears interfered with my vision and I stumbled several times. Eventually, I tripped and fell.

That broke the connection with Natsu and it also burst the dam for my tears. They streamed down my face unceasingly. Natsu had stopped and was crouched down in front of me with his back facing me.

"Get on." He said.

"Huh?"

"Hurry up. I'll carry you." His voice was gentle, yet full of resolve such that I couldn't argue, and I climbed onto his back.

As soon as he made sure I was secure, he leapt forward into the depths of the jungle at an incredible speed, even faster than before. I realized that I had been holding him back.

I buried my tear-stained face into his scarf as I prayed for Loke's safety. His warm back felt like a safe haven.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hmm... It was tough writing this chapter, but somehow I finished and I quite like it! I know it's pretty long, but I hope you like it too! ^^**

**'hime-sama' means 'princess' btw, if u didn't know. **


	8. 6 Natsu's Feelings Bonus: Jealousy

**~ Natsu's Jealousy ~**

_Ugh… _

_Hmm? What's this smell? …Sand?_

I was lying on my back so I grabbed my palms into fists at my side. _Yes, it's sand. _

_No! We should be on a ship! That's right, Lucy fell off! _And my eyes flew wide open.

But the next breath I took brought the faint smell of strawberries. _Lucy's smell. _I got up and followed that scent.

Somehow I ended up on the beach of some island. _That was a rough crash._ I think I almost died of motion sickness on that ship. The incident on the ship, as I remembered, was a blur. I was so sick being jerked around by that damned ship that I almost couldn't remember a thing. But my senses were sharp, so I roughly remembered what happened.

I found Lucy closer to the lapping waves, some distance away from where I landed. Erza was beside her and Gray was there too. But Happy wasn't there… Still, I did a half-run towards them. Then I bent down beside her.

"Wake up! Lucy, wake up!" I shouted as I nudged her.

She stirred. So I called again, "Lucy, wake up!"

Erza also spoke, "Lucy, can you hear me?" We were all concerned for our _nakama._

Then, Lucy coughed a few times and her eyes slowly opened. I was relieved when she woke up, we all were. Slowly, she sat up, propping herself up on her elbow. Her eyes looked around, and she was confused. For a while I wondered if she was brain damaged… That would be bad.

Erza supported her arm as Lucy stood up. "The ship sank." Erza said. But Lucy didn't say anything.

Then Gray angrily said, "That Mary Hughes didn't even care if her crewmates drowned!"

_That's right. There were prisoners in the cabins below. _"Those Zentopia bastards…" I growled. "That's no way to treat their crewmates."

"I wanna give them a piece of my mind after we get back to Magnolia." Gray said.

"Yeah! I'll trash them so badly that they'll never dare show up in front of me again." Deep inside I was fuming. _How could they treat their nakama like that? _

"No… _I'm_ going to bash them up badly. You just sit around and watch." _Gray was annoying as usual. _

"Urgh. Come on, you know I destroy things better than you do."

Suddenly Lucy spoke, "Where are we?" And all eyes went back to her again.

Erza smiled as she replied. "I think we were so close to Galuna Island that we washed up onto its shore."

_Galuna Island? Really? _I looked around. _Doesn't look like much to me. Is there really treasure here?_

"Where's Coco?" Lucy asked.

"Who?" I said.

"That girl." Lucy said. _What girl? Oh, the one she asked me to watch? _

"Don't know. She was gone when I woke." Gray said. My nose told me that girl definitely wasn't here anymore.

"Yeah, it was just the four of us on the shore when I woke up too." Erza basically said the same thing as Gray.

Then Lucy asked another question. "How do you know this is Galuna Island?" _She really thinks a lot, that Lucy… _I hadn't thought about where we were until Lucy started asking these questions.

"I don't know," Erza replied. Then I followed her finger that pointed into the distance, and she said, "But you see the way the coastline curves like that? I'm willing to bet it's Galuna Island's crescent shape." _Ohhh… _That made sense to me. But actually, the treasure wasn't important to me. I only took the mission to annoy Gray. Who knew we would have to take a train… and then end up on some lousy ship… That's karma for me.

"But of course, just to double check, Happy is flying over the island." Erza spoke again. _Oh, that's where Happy went. _Well, since we were already here, might as well look for the treasure. _Oooh, treasure. I wonder what it is. Maybe it's a whole chest of ancient flames! _Suddenly I really wanted to find it.

"And when he comes back, we'll go find the treasure!" I exclaimed.

But Gray the idiot just _had _to shout at me. "We don't even know that it's Galuna Island yet! At least think with your brain once in a while!"

I wasn't gonna let that naked perv just insult me like that. "My brain is fine! Unlike yours. Put on some clothes before you talk about me, pervert."

"EH!" He looked down at himself and saw only his striped boxers.

"What an idiot." I said.

Then he grabbed me by my scarf and yelled in my face, "Did you just call me an idiot, you flaming piece of shit?!" _Now he's done it. _

"You got a problem with it, you perverted punk?!" I shouted back in his face.

"Someone with such weird fashion sense shouldn't talk about my clothes!"

_Me, weird fashion sense?! _"Says the person who doesn'twear any!"

Then I felt a smack on the back of my head, and Erza shouted, "Stop fighting! And put some clothes on, Gray." _Eeeek. Erza's scary when she's angry. _Gray let go of my scarf and the two of us stopped talking to each other.

Lucy broke the mood when she asked, "What do we do now, while we wait for Happy?" And then she sneezed. She got my attention again. I looked at her; her clothes were soaked. _She's cold again. _I felt an urge to hug her, but I didn't because it was a strange feeling I couldn't explain. Acting on strange feelings wasn't my style.

Then Erza said, "We build a campfire and camp for the night. It's been a rough day. And whether this is the island or not, we'll need our strength when morning comes."

* * *

_Why did boxers have to go collect firewood with Lucy? _I didn't know why, but I was irritated.

"Hey, why can't I go collect wood instead?" I asked Erza.

"Then you'll just fight with Gray and never come back." Erza replied. _No, she got my question wrong. _But instead of asking anymore, I just lay down on my back and looked up at the stars in the sky. They sparkled brightly; the skies were clear after the rain. It was quiet around here. There was only the sound of waves and… as I focused on all the sounds around, my ears picked up something further away. It was Lucy's voice.

"Hmm… then, do you like being naked?" _Nice, Lucy! Perfect question for that pervert. _

"No! Of course not!" I heard Gray reply, and then Lucy giggled.

"Then let's get some clothes. I wanna change out of this dirty outfit too. Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" _Another spirit? I want to see it too! Urgh. I should have just gone to pick firewood too. _

An unfamiliar female voice, I assume that's Virgo, spoke, "Is it time for punishment, hime-sama?"

_Hime-sama? _Then came Lucy's voice. "Err… No. Can you get us some clothes?"

"Certainly." Virgo said. _So she's like a maid? _

"Here, put these on." Lucy said.

"Thanks." Gray said.

_Wait, wait, wait…! Are they changing together in the forest?! No, that pervert Gray will just- _Then I heard their footsteps in the grass. When I listened carefully, I realized that someone was walking away. _Good! Protect yourself, Lucy! _

"Thank you, Virgo." Lucy said after short period of silence went by.

"Am I going to be punished now, hime-sama?" _This Virgo is…! She wants to be punished? _

"No." Lucy replied.

Then I heard more steady footsteps. _They were coming back. _

"Time for punishment, hime-sama?" Gray copied Virgo's lines. _Is he making fun of Lucy…?_

"Eek! Don't copy her!" Lucy shrieked, and then Gray laughed. _Yes, he is. _

"I didn't tell her to call me that! She just did it on her own! And that punishment thing is her own thing too!" Lucy's yelling continued.

But Gray just said, "Yeah, sure."

After that it was only the sound of grass rustling that grew louder and louder. Shortly, that sound stopped, and then I heard a bunch of sticks drop to the ground.

"We're back!" Lucy shouted. _I know. _

"Oh, that was fast." Erza responded. "And I see you've put on some clothes, Gray."

I sat up and looked at Gray and Lucy. Their clothes had changed. But then I said, "Keh! He'll just lose them again in no time…"

"Where did you guys get the clothes?" Erza asked.

"Lucy's maid appeared." Gray answered.

"She's not my maid! She's my Celestial Spirit!" Lucy shouted. _Nope… she's definitely a maid. _

"She's totally a maid! She calls you 'hime-sama'!" Gray was teasing Lucy like they had known each other since forever. And a strange fire within me just lit. _I can't explain it, but I just didn't like it._

Impulsively, I blew fire at Gray and his shirt caught fire. He then placed both his hands on my flames and quickly put out the fire. _Keh! If I had really meant to burn him then they won't go out so easily. _But the shirt had burnt to crisps and Gray was shirtless as usual again.

"What was that for, you flame for brains?!" Gray yelled at me.

"I just felt like it."

"Argh! I'm going to kill you!" And then Gray pounced onto me. _Urgh! But I was always ready for a fight with Gray. _

We started rolling in the sand. It was a purely physical fight. I punched him in the face, but then he hit me back. We just kept throwing punches and kicks back and forth. We both missed some, blocked some and dodged some.

"Oi! Break it up!" Erza's voice disrupted the fight and she broke us apart. I felt her anger seeping through and I knew she was going to start scolding us, but then Happy's voice stopped her.

"Everyone!" A small voice yelled, and we all looked at the blue flying cat in the sky.

When he saw that we responded, he yelled again, "Everyone, there's trouble!"

_What now? _Happy was rarely unhappy, except when things went seriously bad.

"What is it?" Erza asked.

"A Zentopia ship is approaching!" _Urgh… ship…_

"Another one?" Lucy exclaimed. We both looked out at the sea. But I saw nothing.

"I don't see anything!" I said.

"It's not in the sea! It's flying in the sky!" Happy shouted. _Uwaa, a flying ship? That's cool! Even though I hate all transport. _My ears pricked up and sure enough, I heard the abnormal whirring winds above and the flapping of something that seemed to be wings.

"How far away is it?" Erza asked.

"It's near. I can hear it." I replied. The air was really serious now. I didn't like it when things get too serious.

"So they've come to us instead huh? I can't wait to get back at them for what Mary Hughes did." Gray said. _That's right, if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get. _

"How many people are coming?" Erza asked more questions.

"I don't know…" Happy replied. He now floated beside me.

"Hold onto this, Lucy." Erza handed a rectangular black box to Lucy. _What is that? _It's the first time I've seen it. I sniffed, and then I recognized the wrinkly smell of old paper and I knew what it was.

Erza changed her armour. It was the one with dragon-like wings. I know she used it when battlefields were dark and when she needed some speed. She also held two axes instead of one sword. _She's on high alert. _

Soon, we could see a ship in the sky. It had canons coming out from its sides. _Zentopia… _I thought, and at that thought, I set myself ablaze. "I'm all fired up."

The ship was slow, but then parachutes started dropping down from it. I immediately realized they were people.

"Oi, Natsu." _What does he want? _"Let's have a competition." That idiot said as he cracked his knuckles.

More and more of them appeared until the night sky was polluted with them. They blocked out many of the stars. I couldn't wait for them to land so I could kick their asses. When I saw that there were so many of them, a switch inside of me flicked. It was time to go _wild. _

"Let's see who kicks the most butts." Gray followed up on his earlier statement.

"You're on." I replied smugly. _Keh! Get ready to lose. _

Gunshots started firing, but what's the point if they all missed? Upon reflex, Gray shouted "Ice Make: Shield!" and created a huge ice shield to protect Erza, Lucy and himself. I didn't need no protection.

I grew impatient waiting for the people to land, so I shouted, "Let's go, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy picked me up and flew off.

First, "Fire Dragon's Roar!" I felt the fire rise up from my stomach and then I blew with great force, sending a large beam of flames, striking down many of those parachutes. I paused for 2 seconds to count the casualties before my next attack. _16._

_Next. _My good partner read my intentions and he flew straight into the midst of all those people on parachutes. "Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" I swung my flaming arms in the air and streams of fire flung around like whips. By then I had brought down _27 _people.

Suddenly countless ice arrows flew around me. Happy, of course, evaded all of them. _That ice cube, is he trying to test me? Keh! Too slow! _

I launched another attack of Fire Dragon's Claw and rapidly followed up with more blazing hits. I was completely focused on the fight.

_…35… 42… 51… 60… _I roughly kept track of my victims.

It was never-ending. There were so many of them.

In time, Happy got tired and he put me down on the beach. But still, all my heightened senses told me when to dodge and when to attack and I fought like an enraged dragon. These guys don't deserve any forgiveness. But without realizing it, I was backing up. Erza, Gray, Lucy and a spiky-haired guy were nearby. _Who's that, _I wondered. _He smelled like a lion._

_Whoops! Shouldn't have got distracted. _I barely dodged another glowing bullet, but then I threw another Fire Dragon's Iron Fist at that dude and he went down.

_…85…_

"I've almost downed 80 here!" Gray yelled.

I set another guy on fire and yelled back, "86 over here!" _Hah! He was losing! _

"Dammit, there's just too many." The spiky-haired guy said. From the corner of my eye, I saw he guarded Lucy protectively. _One of her spirits? _

Then he yelled, "Run!"

"No!" Lucy shouted her refusal without hesitation. _I knew then- that she was born for Fairy Tail. We don't leave nakama behind. _

But then Erza shouted. "He's right; we have to run for now!"

… …If even Erza was saying so then we were really in danger. I did another Fire Dragon's Claw before I backed some more. I quickly scanned the distance before returning my attention to the enemies before me. _There were really a lot of them. _Gray and I could keep firing and firing our attacks but they would just keep coming and coming.

"RUN! NOW! Into the forest!" Lucy's spirit roared. He was really worried for her.

"NO!" Lucy cried. A peculiar salty smell crept into my nose. _What is that? _

As I took out more enemies with another roar, Erza shouted "Go, go, go!" Gray finally gave in and he fled into the jungle. At this point, I was torn between staying and fleeing. I didn't like to run.

"I'll hold the fort here. Everyone go, including you Erza." When he said this, a bright orange lion face burst forth from him, it was like a fiery lion. _I think I like this spiky-haired guy._

"Sorry and thanks. I leave the rest to you then." Now even Erza left. I knew we should go, but I didn't feel at ease if Lucy didn't escape first. With Erza and Gray gone, those gunner bastards got nearer, but together with the lion guy, I protected Lucy.

"LUCY, GO! I'M A SPIRIT I WON'T DIE!" He sounded slightly angry now. "I'm meant to protect you!" That strange feeling I felt when Gray was teasing Lucy suddenly came back and I was ticked off. Still, I shoved that uneasy feeling aside and concentrated on the situation.

Lucy didn't yell back anymore. She knew we had to leave but she didn't want to leave. I urged her softly, "Lucy, we should go."

Then the lion roared again. "NATSU! TAKE HER AND GO!" _Why didn't I think of that? _I mentally face-palmed myself and then I grabbed Lucy's free hand and shot off into the jungle.

* * *

I ran.

Wherever I saw an opening that had no trees I dashed towards it. I gripped Lucy's hand tightly as I kept going forward. I knew she couldn't keep up, but then we couldn't slow down.

My enhanced hearing told me that the battle was still contained on the shore. That was good. While the lion guy sacrificed and bought us some time, it was only fair that we use it to put as much distance between them and us as possible. _I owe you one, lion. _

My enhanced sense of smell stayed aware of the surroundings, ready for any surprise attacks. But I did not smell anything out of the ordinary… except for that strange salty smell.

Suddenly, her hand broke free from mine, and when I looked back, she was on the floor. The strange salty smell intensified when tears flowed down her face endlessly. _It was her tears._ Weirdly, my heart squeezed before it resumed its usual rhythm. _What was that? _

Then my ears heard a faint groan and the lion's scent faded. The gunshots also stopped. _Crap. There's no time. _I crouched down before Lucy and said, "Get on."

"Huh?"

"Hurry up. I'll carry you." She silently scrambled onto my back, putting her arms over my shoulders. My heartbeat sped up, but it wasn't because I knew they would come for us soon. But rather, a certain instinct in me had awoken, and I felt the desperate need to protect this girl.

I stood up and bounced her once. Her weight was nothing I couldn't handle. Then I leapt forward at full speed. Maybe I lurched forward too fast; Lucy's arms hugged me tighter. Then she buried her face into my scarf. The smell of her tears never disappeared. I knew she was scared, for the lion.

_But I was scared for her. _

So I ran like hell. There was no holding back.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hey! I'm really sorry everyone! I haven't finished Chapter 7 yet! I finished this chapter long ago, but I was gonna post this in a later part... hehehe. ****But because it is such a challenge to make Chapter 7 interesting, in the end I still decided to post this chapter first? Yeah... **

**Oh! In case you were wondering, in my story, Loke wasn't part of Fairy Tail before Lucy came... although I like that part originally, but in my story it just wouldn't flow. But one way or another, he's still part of Fairy Tail right? **

**Alright, bye! I'll finish Chapter 7 in another week I think..**


	9. Chapter 7: Hunted

**~ Hunted ~**

He ran like hell. He ran for both our lives. Because he was strong, I couldn't stand being weak myself, so I stopped crying.

When my tears cleared, I looked over his shoulder and saw the dark jungle whizz past in a blur. Even though it was night time and it was dark, he never knocked into anything, and I never bumped my head. I don't know how long it had been since we left Loke behind. Along the way I realized his gate had already closed, so he must have went back. _But how much pain did he endure before he left? _I teared up again at this thought. But if I had forced his gate close too early, then Erza and Gray wouldn't be able to retreat. It was him or us, and he chose us over himself. _You fought bravely, Loke, now rest well in the Celestial world. _I probably won't be summoning him for awhile.

"Dammit." Natsu cursed under his breath, breaking the silence.

My heart missed a beat. "What? What is it?" I felt his rising anxiety and I knew something was wrong.

But instead of answering me, he just said, "Hang tight, Lucy." And then he sped up even more. I thought he had already reached his maximum speed earlier, but I thought wrong.

When he lurched forward, my heart started pounding rapidly. It was not because of the speed, it was the fear- I was stricken with fear, and the thumping of my crazy heartbeat was all I could hear as the fear consumed me.

His sudden sense of urgency could only mean one thing- our enemies were coming for us. _How many? _I wanted to ask, or _how far away? _But I wasn't sure I wanted to know. My arms tightened around him as every fibre of my being felt constricted. The darkness of the night and of the jungle concealed our enemies. _How can we run from so many of them? How far can we go before they find us? _

"Don't be afraid, because you're not alone."

His secure voice penetrated my thoughts, and gradually the sound of my racing heartbeat faded into the background. _That's right, I'm not alone anymore. _

"I'll make sure they don't find us, okay?" Natsu spoke again.

"Okay." I answered weakly. I was like a helpless child.

His back felt safe. His entire being provided me with solace and it calmed the turmoil in my mind. As he weaved through the jungle, a thought occurred to me: _I'm always being protected and sheltered by everyone. _

In that mansion where I never had to worry about a thing… behind Gray's ice shield… behind Loke… and now, being piggybacked by Natsu. Feelings of gratefulness welled up inside of me and I was determined to become stronger, so that one day I could protect them back.

* * *

It was as though the trampling of grass had a meditative effect. After some time, my heartbeat slowed, and so did Natsu's pace. He never stopped running, but now I could actually make out the trees and leaves that went by. _Were we at a safe distance now? _I squeezed my left hand and confirmed that I still held the black box with the treasure map.

"You okay?" Natsu spoke, his voice gentle and concerned, breaking the monotonous sound of grass rustling.

"Mmhmm." I said as I nodded. But then I blushed when I remembered he couldn't see me nod because I was on his back. Then it was silent for awhile before I asked, "Aren't I heavy?" _Wasn't he tired? _

"Nothing I can't handle." It could have just been my imagination, but _I swear I saw him smirk._

Still, I didn't want to burden him anymore, so I said, "I'm fine now. You can put me down."

But he just firmly replied, "Just sit tight, Lucy." I lost my will to argue and we both fell silent again while he ran. _I guess I would only slow him down… _

Before long, a path emerged up ahead and his run slowed to a walk. He started following the path like he knew where it led us to.

"Where are we going?" _What is he thinking… _

"Finding a place to rest."

"Oh. But the Zentopia people-"

"It's alright! There's a village."

"How do you know there's a village?"

"Because I can smell it." He flashed me his signature smile that seemed like he didn't have a care in the world. I smiled back because his happy-go-lucky attitude was infectious. Then he added, "Although it smells kinda funky."

Suddenly, his ear twitched. "Oh!" His head snapped up as he just realized something and his eyes looked straight ahead. I was alarmed and my eyes followed his line of vision. I thought _they _had found us, but it was just a towering barrier and gate made out of wooden beams… and at the foot of it were Erza, Gray and Happy.

"Glad to see you guys are safe." Erza said.

"I see you're still alive, flamehead." Gray's cocky jesting told me he was fine. _Everyone was safe. _I felt my muscles relax as I internally sighed in relief.

"Shut up, ice cube."

And then Happy said something which made me flush pink. "Why are you carrying Lucy?"

I was flustered when Happy asked that question and I immediately got down. When my feet touched the ground, I felt the bristly grass against the soles of my feet and I realized I had lost my shoes.

"We were chased." Natsu answered Happy's question.

"Seriously?" Gray had a hint of disbelief and slight surprise in his voice.

"Yeah." I replied.

Then Natsu took over the explanation. "There were five of them, but I shook them all off." _Gulp. Five? I'm so thankful to be alive…_

"Five?" Erza sounded alarmed. "But not one came after me."

"Or me." Gray said.

"Maybe because they couldn't track you guys?" I suggested.

"No. I think they're after the map." Erza was worried.

Then Gray asked, "You sure you lost them?"

"Of course! Who do you think I am?" Natsu replied confidently.

"A dumbass."

"Bastard, don't answer that!"

"You asked!"

"It wasn't meant to be answered, idiot!"

"Whatcha say, asshole?!" Gray grabbed Natsu by his scarf and yelled in his face.

"I said you're an idiot and a loser!" Natsu yelled back.

"What?! Me, a loser?"

"Duh! I won that match right?"

"NO, DUMBASS. That was forfeit! It was never fini-!"

"Break it up!" Erza shouted as she tore them apart and quieted their pointless bickering. _Although it was a pretty good distraction since it's been one hell of a night._ Then Erza continued, "We shall rest for tonight. Over here is probably the safest place on the island right now…"

When she said that, we all turned around to face the towering gates. Right above our heads, there was a sign that said 'KEEP OUT'. It looked like it was written in blood.

Without warning, Erza yelled above nonchalantly, "EXCUSE US!"

If she's so loud, won't we attract our enemies' attention?! And anyway, that sign… _what's with that sign? _"Err… Erza…? Are you sure this is a good idea?" I cautioned.

But then a response came from above, "Who's there?" It was a watch guard.

"We are a group of mages, and we would like to seek shelter in your village for one night!" Erza spoke on our behalves.

The guy stared down at us and mumbled, "Mages…" It felt weird, like he was searching for something on our bodies. When he finally spoke again, he asked, "That symbol, are you guys from Fairy Tail?"

"Yes! We are!" Erza replied, fully proud of being a Fairy Tail mage.

I thought he was going to turn us away, but then with a rumble, the middle section of the wooden beams started rising; the gate opened.

* * *

The village was the strangest thing ever- no, correction- the _villagers_ were strange. The mayor of the village had one demon claw in place of his right hand. Others either had one demon leg or a horn or _something _resembling that of a demon. I tried hard not to stare; it would be rude since they were providing us with shelter. We were led to the mayor's hut and we all sat in his hall as his servants prepared a room for us.

"Thank you for taking us in." Erza started off with the small talk. "I'm Erza. This is Gray, Natsu, Happy and Lucy." She gestured towards us as she said.

"How do you do? I'm Mocha, the mayor of this village. You are a group of wizards from Fairy Tail, right? So I've heard."

"Yes. We're very sorry to intrude like this, especially when it's so late at night." I replied courteously.

"So tell me, what brings a group of Fairy Tail mages here to Galuna Island?" He asked. _Is it just me or are people hung up about the fact that we're from Fairy Tail? _

I looked at Erza, but she didn't return my glance. _Is she going to answer? Will she tell him about the treasure map? _

Erza replied, "To tell you the truth, our ship got sabotaged by a Zentopia pirate…" _Because we hijacked their ship… _"…And we ended up shipwrecked here, only to be hunted down by a whole army of them." _Because we stole their treasure map… _She told him a very one-sided story. _It seems she doesn't trust them. _

"I see…" Mocha said, and continued with, "Are you curious about this?"

"Huh? Oh!" That question was directed at me who had been caught staring at his arm. "Sorry. I didn't mean to stare…"

"It's okay. You must have noticed that everyone here has a demon body part. But here on Galuna Island, it's normal, because we are a village of half-demons." _What-? _

I took a second to comprehend what he just said. He was so frank about it that it came as a surprise.

"That's so cool!" Natsu burst out.

Gray quickly smacked his head and scolded him, "Is your brain short circuiting again?"

"Ow! What was that for? But it really _IS _awesome!" Natsu replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

Mayor Mocha chuckled at their childish antics and Erza cleared her throat. It was a warning to Natsu and Gray that said '_behave yourselves'_. Then she asked the mayor, "Has it always been this way?"

"Yes. We've lived here for so long that none of us remember what it's like beyond the oceans. For as long as I can remember, Galuna Island has been the island of half-demons. We have tried to cure it so many times, but nothing worked."

"Why would you want to cure it?" Natsu asked.

Mocha looked at Natsu like he had just been asked the most absurd question. But he still replied, although he spoke slowly. "Nobody has asked me that before… Maybe because I am only surrounded by half-demons, and the occasional visitor is very rare… but… those who were not born here chanced upon this island because we are the outcast of the world. We half-demons are neither fully human nor demon, and we are not accepted by others. We cannot coexist with humans in the mainland or demons in their dens. We simply do not belong anywhere." His words exuded his sadness and lonesomeness. I could tell how agonizing his experience had been.

Natsu did not ask anymore. Afterwards, we were led upstairs to the guest room. It was a small room with four simple futons laid out side by side on the floor.

"So tired!" I sighed as I collapsed into the middle of all the futons, arms and legs spread out like a starfish.

"Already? We haven't even started looking for the treasure yet." Gray joked as he settled down on the futon that my arm wasn't invading.

I felt my eyelids droop as the soft futon gave me the comfort I missed during the time on the ship.

"Scoot over, Lucy." I heard Natsu say. I groaned drowsily and turned to my side, hugging the rectangular black box like a bolster.

"We have to get up at dawn tomorrow…" I heard Erza say. I tried to blink away the sleepiness but I must have failed because I couldn't remember what Erza said after that.

* * *

The next day, I awoke feeling startled. I sensed that something was amiss because Natsu was missing even though Erza and Gray were still fast asleep. Happy was still beside Natsu's pillow too… _What time is it anyway? _I didn't feel like going back to sleep so I exited the room quietly in search for Natsu. After snooping around the mayor's hut, I didn't find him so I went outside.

I was greeted by a cool breeze. The sky was dark, but not black, and it had a dim orange glow emanating from behind the tree tops because the village was surrounded by forestry. Judging by the colour of the sky, I would say it was almost dawn.

"Natsu?" I called out as I looked around. There was no response. _Was I not loud enough or was he too far away to hear me? _The village was lifeless at this time of day and there was no sign of anybody outside their huts. _Where did he go? _

It didn't seem like he would be in the village, otherwise he should have heard me. I went towards the gate, treasure map in hand inside its black box. _Better not let it get exposed to sunlight now… _But the gate was close. Natsu should probably still be in the village then…? Or… he might have just gotten out using his dragon methods.

I ascended a flight of stairs at the side of the gate and arrived at the guard's post. The watch guard, however, was nowhere in sight. Standing at the top of the gate, I was still shorter than the tallest jungle trees but I was on the same level as the medium-sized trees. And I saw something pink in the distance.

"Natsu!" I called out.

His head turned towards me in response. He was lounging on a tree branch leaning against the trunk, rather far away. It was still dark, so I could only see a silhouette with pink hair. But nevertheless, with that salmon pink shade, I was sure it could only be him.

"What are you doing?" I yelled again.

With a rustle of leaves and a swoosh, he disappeared momentarily and reappeared on another tree closer to the barrier. He now sat on a branch with his legs dangling, and he smiled widely when he said, "Morning, Lucy!"

"What are you doing?" I repeated. Once again, I found myself wanting to know what he was thinking.

"Nothing!" He declared like a mischievous little child.

I shot him an unconvinced look. But then he changed the direction of the conversation and shot me a question, "More than that, are you alright now?"

_Me? _"What could be wrong with me?"

He shrugged. And then I remembered the fear last night. _Oh. That. _As soon as we met up with the rest, all that had already been swept under the rug and forgotten so I didn't know what he was referring to at first. "I'm fine now after a good night's sleep!"

In response, he just gave me a half-hearted smile. I wasn't used to _this _Natsu.

We both didn't speak for awhile, but he broke the silence. "You know, I rescued a half-demon dog from a wild forest demon just now…"

"Oh?" It's not my intention to insult him but, pondering over stuff really doesn't go with his carefree disposition. But it proves that he isn't as shallow as he seems.

"I don't understand this." His smile had faded and his forehead was creased with unease.

"What don't you understand?" _Tell me, _I willed him with my mind. At least sharing his worries was something I could do.

"Why the Mocha guy said that half-demons do not belong anywhere." He clarified. "I mean, hasn't he already found a place where he belongs?"

"What do you mea-"

"Shh!" He shushed me all of a sudden and hopped from the branch onto the gate where I was in one leap. He had heard something. _Please don't be what I think it is, _I prayed silently.

"We have to go." Natsu said in a serious tone before he grabbed my hand and rushed back to the mayor's hut. And that's when I knew they were coming for us.

* * *

As we approached the hut, Erza, Gray, Happy, Mocha and a few other half-demons came out.

"So there you guys are! Out for a morning stroll?" Gray said. But I'm sure I had the look of impending doom on my face, which made him drop the playful mood.

"They're coming. The ship and the gunmen, they're coming." Natsu reported. With these two little words, the atmosphere turned anxious.

"How many? How far?" Erza asked.

"Much less than before. But that's only on the ground. I don't know how many are in the ship." Natsu said. "They're close, probably reaching soon. They want to sneak up on us."

"We should leave before they arrive, lest we implicate the village." She nodded in mayor Mocha's direction when she said this. Then she bowed to him and said the farewells, "We're sorry to intrude in the middle of the night and leave so abruptly."

"Not at all. We are very happy to be able to host guests." Mayor Mocha answered.

He walked us to the gate, but just as we stepped out of the village, Natsu muttered, "Shit. They're here." And we were ambushed with glowing green spots.

In one swift movement, Gray had produced his ice shield and Erza requipped into a different armour. This time it was the silver-plated armour, the Heaven's Wheel Armour. A battle was inevitable.

I quickly ushered the mayor back into the safety of his own village. He didn't need to get caught up in all of this. I looked down at my keys. _Who should I call? _Loke was the best at combating multiple enemies, but I couldn't summon him right now… I decided on Taurus instead.

"Open the Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" The extremely tall humanoid bull appeared with his double headed red axe.

"You- you're a Celestial mage?" Mayor Mocha asked, surprise lining his voice. _Is it really that surprising? _I thought, slightly offended.

Armed Zentopia troops had gathered and they blocked the gate. They pushed forward and encroached into the village, forcing Erza and everyone else to retreat. Our only form of exit was obstructed, and we were slowly being surrounded. We fought to clear a path out.

"Fireball, rematch!" Gray abruptly demanded and he started shooting his icy lances.

"Get ready to lose again! I'm all fired up!" Natsu taunted before firing his attacks as well. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. _Seriously, guys? _

In the middle of the village, Gray had put up another ice shield for the mayor. Well, I definitely wasn't going to hide this time either. "Taurus! Attack!" I instructed as I rushed out.

"Moooo! I will protect Lucy's nice body!" He charged forward and slammed his axe down on the enemies.

A war had broken out. It was chaotic. The commotion had gotten the villagers' attention and many of them had awoken and come out of their huts.

"Get back inside!" I yelled frantically, but nobody heeded my advice. They just stood there numbly, watching in horror. The bullets were only aimed as us, but stray bullets occasionally threatened their safety. I tried my best to deflect those with my Fleuve d'Etoiles, but I wasn't sure I got them all.

"Dance, my blades!" Erza executed area attacks with a single command. The enemies around her didn't stand a chance. I actually couldn't believe they even tried to approach her.

And then, I didn't know how things escalated so quickly. A dark shadow was cast over the entire village, blocking out the sun that had just risen. Looking up, I saw Zentopia's flying ship, with the words 'REAL NIGHTMARE' painted at the side of its hull. And extending outwards, protruding from the side was a giant canon.

A deep voice hailed from above. "Fairy Tail, this is what you get for crossing us. Charging Infinity Canon. Firing in 10 seconds."

"What is that?" "Infinity Canon?!" "Huh, canon?!" Whispers and murmurs came from the surrounding villagers. _Zentopia…! Hurting your own comrades again and even innocent bystanders, I won't let you do that! _

It was like Natsu had thought of the same thing as me. He charged towards the canon, carried by Happy. He shouted, "Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" before his entire body was engulfed in flames and he rammed straight into the canon. The huge impact was clouded in smoke as an aftereffect and nobody could see what happened. _Did he do it? _

Everyone watched in expectation. When the smoke cleared, to all our dismays, we saw that Natsu's fierce attack didn't even leave a scratch on that canon. _Was this all futile? _

"…4…" The voice from the ship echoed.

Gray tried his ice lances on the canon but to no avail.

"…3…"

"Mayor Mocha, everybody, take cover!" I yelled.

"…2…"

"I will protect Lucy's nice bodehhhh!" Taurus came charging towards me.

"…1…"

_No! _I had no time to protest so I forced his gate close. But I had no time to react to what happened in the next second, let alone prevent it.

"…0."

A swirl of deep purple and black launched from the canon. I crouched down, hugging the black box, and braced for the impact. Just before the impact, I saw Erza rushing towards me and she yelled "I won't let you hurt my teammates!" _No, Erza, save yourself! _

That was the last thing I heard before the deafening explosion ensued and the ground shook. _Oomph! _Hard metal slammed against me and I fell entirely onto the floor.

* * *

As the quake died down, I slowly regained awareness of my surroundings, but I was completely dumbstruck. Scarlet red hair filled my vision. The one who slammed me to the ground was Erza, and the metal hard feeling was her armour, a different one. I had been protected yet again. Because of her, I escaped with mere scratches.

She rolled over once the impact was over, her body had gone limp. "Erza!" I cried as I shook her lifeless body. The new armour was a whitish silver and dark blue with enormous shields on each arm. It looked unbreakable like adamantine. It probably was seeing as it didn't crack from that direct impact from the canon, but Erza had passed out from the heavy blow. Other than that her body had been well protected by the armour.

It was a closed range aerial attack, so she could only protect one person, and she chose me. _Why me, Erza? I don't understand… _Grabbing the black box, I got up and surveyed the aftermath. Every half-demon villager and Zentopia soldier around had sustained severe injuries, and they all lay unconscious on the ground. My eyes scanned the area for Natsu, Happy or Gray.

"Natsu!" I exclaimed as I ran. I found him easily for his pink hair stood out.

"Ohmygod, NATSU!" His wounds were dreadful. Dark patches of blue-black and red splotches of abrasions covered his body. He was lying on his side, and in his arms was a half-demon puppy.

"Arf! Arf!" The puppy barked as it licked Natsu's face.

"Natsu! NATSU!" I shouted at the top of my lungs but he did not respond.

_How did this happen? How could I be the only one left standing?! _

[To be continued...]

* * *

**Ok it's finally done. I know the first half of this chapter has no action... but the next chapter will have more! ^^ Thank you for reading, reviewing, following & favourite-ing! **


	10. Chapter 8: Hunted Once More

**~ Hunted Once More ~**

Amidst the disaster, I kneeled by Natsu's side. Huts were smashed and bodies were scattered everywhere. The half-demon puppy didn't bark anymore but at the sight of a motionless Natsu, he continued to lick Natsu's wounds.

"Natsu… Natsu, please wake up…" I pleaded for the tenth time or so. _What do I have to do for him to wake up? _

I scanned the grounds for the third time. Seemingly nothing had changed. Erza hadn't moved, and Happy and Gray were still nowhere in sight. Like an ominous grey cloud, Zentopia's flying ship lingered. They'll probably want to claim the map from me soon. _What should I do? Do I leave them behind and run…? No, I don't want to! But I can't fend against a canon!?_

"Natsu…" I nudged him again, hoping something would change. "Natsu, hurry and wake up…" _This helpless feeling… _I fought back the tears that threatened to well up in my eyes.I refused to cry. Not when Erza risked her own safety to protect me. I had made up my mind._ When they come for the map, I will fight. _

"Arf!" The puppy started barking and bounced up and down excitedly. "Arf, arf, arf!"

"What is it?" I reached out to pet it but it didn't calm down.

"Arf! Arf!" It yelped at the sky and jumped again.

_…above…? _I looked up- and I saw parachutes.

They didn't fill the sky, but there were at least ten of them.

"Natsu, wake up!" I shook him violently; a sense of urgency was growing. My efforts were finally rewarded.

"Ugh…"

"Ohmygod Natsu!" _He's alive! _I exclaimed delightedly when he stirred.

"Arf!" The dog was happy too. Natsu's eyes started to open.

"Natsu! Can you hear me?" I shouted as I brushed his disheveled pink hair from his face and examined him.

"Lucy…? Wha…? The canon…? The dog!" He slurred semiconsciously.

"Arf! Arf!"

"The dog's here, Natsu, he's fine." I reassured him. "But you, your injuries! Don't move around so much!"

Okay, I knew I was contradicting myself._ I wanted him to get up but now I'm telling him not to get up?! _I gave up on that internal struggle. I was just gonna fight. _I will fight to protect them… these people who protect me so much…! _

I looked up again to see how much longer we had and to recount the number of parachutes. …_Eighteen! Wait, what's that small thing flying around? Is that…? _

"HAPPY!" I impulsively shouted to the sky at full volume, and suddenly glowing green bullets fired. _Crap! I gave my own survival away! _I grasped at my waist for my whip in reflex but I knew I was too slow.

"Ice Make: Lance!"

_Gray?! _I followed that voice and the direction where the lances came from, and I saw him. He ran towards us half-naked, but he might as well not be wearing any clothes because his pants were tattered and torn. He had patches of ice all over his body… _to cover his wounds? _

"Lucy! Natsu!" Happy called. "OHH! NATSU!" His tone became vexed when he saw the state Natsu was in.

"Arf!"

"Eh? Why is there a dog here?"

"I don't know? Natsu saved him? Probably…" I replied. "Moreover, now's not the time for that right!?"

"Lucy, you're safe?" Gray thought it was unexpected.

I tried to explain what happened to him. "Erza-! Erza, she- her armour- and then Natsu-!"

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down, slow down." Gray stopped me. I hadn't realized I was so rattled that I couldn't form a coherent sentence. My heart was thumping at the thought of those guys getting closer and closer to the ground with every second.

"You can tell us everything later. But for now… Get up!" Gray shouted those last two words as he kicked Natsu in the back.

I instinctively reached out to shield Natsu's back after that kick. "What are you doing?!"

But Gray ignored me and just said, "Oi, dumbass. You're going to lose to me if you don't get up." _He's a little too lively for someone with so many injuries, isn't he? _But then again, Natsu's injuries looked more severe than Gray's. _Ah that's right, Gray can make ice shields. _

"Ugh… I'll kill you-" Natsu tried getting up but winced and collapsed back down as soon as he tried.

"Arf! Arf!" The puppy licked him again as a form of encouragement, but Natsu just lay there half-conscious.

"It's no use… We were flying above the canon when it fired, but then I…" Happy sounded like he was about to cry. "But then the canon's energy made the air tremble. I couldn't hold on and then I dropped him… Sorry, Natsu…"

"What!" I exclaimed. _Does that mean… direct hit?!_

Then Gray sighed. "But this idiot will probably survive. What about Erza?" Gray looked around.

I pointed towards Erza and answered guiltily, "Over there… Erza fainted because of me…"

"Oh." Gray's expression flickered for a moment. But then he said, "Well, it can't be helped then. If you got hit, you'd probably be dead. But if it were Erza, she would just pass out. That's just the kind of monster she is."

"Gray…" Even though he didn't reproach me or anything, when his expression wavered I knew we were in trouble. And yet he tried to cheer me up instead. I was deeply comforted.

But not forgetting the death bounty hanging over our heads, I switched to serious mode again. _No way were we letting Zentopia off after what they did. _Anyway, we couldn't run with two injured, but also because that damned ship would definitely find us, especially now that it's broad daylight. It's not fight or flight anymore. There was no choice.

"But is Natsu really fine? His injuries look critical…" _They're purple, for God's sake! _What kind of poisonous magic canon was that?

"If only we had fire…" Happy sighed. _Fire? Ah, that's right… another Salamander specialty. _

"But so long as he doesn't take another hit by the canon he should stay alive…" Gray said.

Abruptly, green bullets shot forth once more. "Ice Make: Shield!" They were no match for Gray's shield. Those men had finally touched ground. "Whoops, no time to chat anymore." Gray said before he rushed into the mob of gunners. The way he fought was unruly, despite his injuries, so I knew he was furious.

"Gate of the Scorpion, I open thee! Scorpio!" I summoned, and faithfully, he appeared. He had no top, but he wore black pants underneath a red sheet. His metal sting curled up behind him at first but without waiting for a command, he crouched down on all fours like a scorpion, his metal sting poised in the air, and shot forth a great tornado of sand.

Gray fought with his Cold Excalibur, but these gunmen were different from the ones we had encountered at the shore. Unlike before, these men, on top of the guns they had, even had armour and, if I weren't wrong, they had better reflexes and hand to hand combat skills too. They were Zentopia's elite troops. I did a rough head count and I think I counted twenty. _We can do this, _I thought to myself. But boy was I wrong.

"Cease all resistance, and hand over the map. Or do not blame me for being merciless." That wretched voice hailed down from the ship again.

"Don't be stupid! There's no way we'll give it up to the likes of you!" Gray yelled back in rebellion.

"Is that your final answer? Very well. Charging Infinity Canon. Firing in 10… 9…" The countdown began. My mind went blank, my heart went wild, and my palms started to sweat. I knew we wouldn't survive another hit. All I could think of was that _we were going to die. _

_And for what? _Anger boiled inside of me. _All because of some treasure? All because of this map?! That's right the map! _I grasped around for the map and my left hand found it beside me.

I lifted the black case over Natsu. _No, but if I do this then what about the treasure? _

"… 7… 6…" The countdown echoed in the background.

_Screw that! Now's not the time to be hesitating! Natsu's life is more important! _

I opened the black casing over Natsu's body and exposed the map- _the map that burns when exposed to sunlight. _As sure as the sun will rise, the map caught fire and I recoiled automatically as it started to burn the box as well.

_Eat up, Natsu. This is about as much I can do for you right now. _

"… 4… 3…" The countdown persisted.

As the sound of slurping died down, the large flames dwindled and disappeared. I mirrored Natsu as he slowly got to his feet. Many of his wounds had disappeared. _Was he alright now? _

"Thank you for the meal." He said, with newfound strength, and he wiped his mouth just as the countdown reached zero. "Now that I've eaten, it's time to pay them back…" Natsu leapt into the air straight towards the hurtling ball of purple and black swirls and- _What's he doing?! _

The size of the orb was gradually receding as Natsu met with the orb. I gasped and I covered my mouth; I was shocked when I realized what he was doing. _He's eating it!? _

"…100 fold, in their own coin!" Natsu finished his sentence as soon as he consumed it.

And then he slammed his fists together, producing a red Magic Seal. "With a flame on the right hand," He raised his right fist and engulfed it in flames. "…and a flame on the left," He raised left fist and set it ablaze- but in purple-black flames! Then he brought both hands together and shouted, "…When you combine the flames together they make, INFINITY FLAME DRAGON'S BRILLIANT FLAME!"

An enormous fireball that was a fiery orange and purple-black was thrown at the ship in one swift action.

**'BOOM!'** The fireball hit the ship with an explosion and blasted it away. Smoke broke out and clouded the sky. A thunderous crash came from some distance away where the ship smashed into the ground, probably somewhere in the forest.

"He did it!" I jumped in joy and cheered automatically after the crash.

I was ecstatic for a moment, but once the ship went down, Natsu also fainted and fell to the ground. Immediately, I was by his side again but there were no noticeable wounds.

"Natsu! Hey, what's wrong?" I exclaimed, alarmed.

Gray and Scorpio had just finished up with the remaining elite troops and they both gathered around Natsu too.

"If there's nothing else, I'm going back to have a date with Aquarius now. Later!" Scorpio took his leave.

"Don't worry, Lucy. He just fainted from eating something strange again, that dimwit." Yet, even though Gray had called Natsu some names again, he said it like it was actually a form of endearment between the two of them- that is, hurling insults at each other. I knew in actual fact Gray was proud that Natsu had just blown away that floating ship.

"Yep, yep! The same thing happened too when he ate Laxus' lightning!" Happy commented as he flew above.

_He ate lightning?! _My thoughts started to wonder about what kind of insanely powerful wizard Natsu was and then I remembered somebody else who was just as insanely powerful- Erza. Now that I had affirmed Natsu would be fine, I went back to Erza.

She had saved me that day, without her, I would not be alive. I was eternally grateful, of course. But I also felt severely guilty. It was like the what- 6th day since I've joined Fairy Tail? And already, she risked her life for me. I wondered what I had done to deserve this and at that moment, I felt really, really glad to have joined Fairy Tail- it might just be the best thing I've ever done in my life.

I squatted down by her unmoving body in that impenetrable armour. "Erza?" She did not respond; she was still out cold. But she still had a steady pulse. "Thank you, Erza." I said softly.

"Uh…" Someone had started off and I turned round to see who it was. It was mayor Mocha. _Crap! Did he see the map? Was he suspicious of us now?! Sigh… We're probably going to have to go on the run again… _But then he spoke, using a tone one would use when asking others for a favour, "Now might not be such a good time, but could I speak with all of you?"

_Eh? _

* * *

The sun had now arisen high in the sky. We all sat in the middle of the village amongst the debris. Erza and Natsu had both regained their consciousness and the four (five plus Happy) of us sat on one side while the entire village of half-demons were on the other side facing us. Mayor Mocha sat before all the village members. The atmosphere was extremely formal, like a professional meeting, and it didn't seem like they wanted to fight us or anything.

And then mayor Mocha dropped the bomb. "Actually, we were the ones who sent out that mission."

All of our jaws dropped simultaneously. _What?! _

Happy and Gray went "What?!"

"What do you mean?" Erza asked.

"That's right! Explain yourself!" Natsu shouted, impatiently rather than angrily.

Mayor Mocha sighed and then began his explanation. "A few weeks ago, some guests visited our island. They were two men. It was uncommon to have visitors on our island, but it was not like it never happened before, so we did not think much of it. However, when they left, we realized that they had taken something along with them that they weren't supposed to- a treasure map." _In other words, the treasure map belonged to them huh? I wonder if they're angry with me for burning it… _

"Let me guess, men from Zentopia?" Erza said.

The mayor continued, "Yes, most likely, but at that time we did not know who they were. They came and left in a huge ship, like the one that was flying, except it was more normal and it sailed in the seas. I sent a few of our villagers to track them down and they followed them back to the mainland, to Hargeon Town. They approached the people on the ship and demanded the map back. But not only did they deny having it, they also ridiculed our people for being half-demons and called them freaks. Onlookers gathered and suddenly people thought that _we _were the ones bullying them, and not the other way around. We were not welcomed on the mainland, and so my people had no choice but to come back empty-handed." The anger seethed through mayor Mocha's words when he said that. Indeed, the discrimination against half-demons seemed greatly unjustified.

"But why were you so sure that they had taken the map? Couldn't a villager have taken it out but forgotten to put it back?" Erza asked.

"No, that was not possible." He answered. "You see, everybody here on the village treasures that map, because to us, it was not just any map. It was a map that led us to something more valuable than treasure; it was the key to finding the cure for half-demonism. Even if we already knew where the map directed us, it was still a priceless heirloom and we would never remove it from the Village Hall; we would never risk it getting exposed to sunlight."

"If I may ask… how did you come into possession of the map? And how do you know it leads to a cure?" I questioned cautiously. We (us Fairy Tail mages) had all seen the map before, it merely marked a spot on the island, but it had no indication of the treasure being a cure. Also, it felt the most peculiar to me that a map to a cure for half-demonism would _just happen _to appear on an island full of half-demons. But for them, without a doubt, it must seem like a calling from God or some sheer stroke of luck.

"I don't know actually. None of us can say for sure. It is a legend passed down from our ancestors. But it was the only opportunity to end this never-ending exile that had presented itself, and we would not pass up on such a clue. Each generation of village head would inherit this duty, the duty to find the cure to this curse." He raised his demon hand as he said the word 'curse'.

"So… how come it was never found?" If it had been around for such a long time, then why weren't they cured? I was starting to doubt this existence of this "cure".

But mayor Mocha continued to explain, "I know it sounds unbelievable, and we've read the map. Trust me, we know what it looks like and it sure doesn't say much. In fact all it does is point us in the right direction. The first few generations led an army of warriors, but only half of them survived and even though they survived, they were severely injured. It turns out that there was a fearsome monster within that place, a monster that had attacked everyone without being seen. Nobody knows what it looks like even after all the times we've charged in. Eventually, the injured warriors recovered but… then we found that they all died young, at a human age, shorter than the average lifespan of a half-demon which is 300 years.

"So thereafter, whenever we recruited warriors for this grand quest, we would tell them that even if they survived, it was possible they would die before they even reached a hundred years old. We made sure that whoever signed up knew what they were signing up for. Our ancestors kept trying and trying but the result was always the same. They thought that it was another part of the curse of being half-demon, and that that place was forbidden to us, so we hired visitors who were mercenaries whenever they stumbled upon our island. These mercenaries looked all over, but they never found anything.

"Unfortunately, for some reason, stories started to spread. There are many versions of the story and some of them are just baseless rumours. Things like, Galuna Island is an island of demons that sacrifice human beings to their demon king… there is a wicked curse on Galuna Island, all who goes there will die… there is secret treasure on Galuna Island that's guarded by a fearsome village of demons… Thus, while the rumours scared away many people, it also tempted the greedy, power-hungry people.

"Whoever approached us never tried to harm us; they merely wanted the rumoured treasure. If we told them where to find it they did not lay a finger on us. But nobody ever found it! Still, it proves that there's something about that place that is off limits to us half-demons, because humans that came out said they never encountered any monster and they obviously were not injured." He finished his long speech.

"That's horrible…" I muttered. Then I realized he had left out something, "So where's this place?" I asked.

"The Forbidden Temple." He said and pointed towards one direction. We all followed the demon finger and we saw the top of the Forbidden Temple that was slightly higher than the tallest trees. It looked like a stone-brick building with some moss lining its cracks.

"And seeing as it was harmless to humans, you decided to post the mission out to guilds then?" Erza asked another question.

"No, if it hadn't been stolen, we would have never appealed to humans for help. We sent out the request because we simply wanted the map back. We never heard of any guild accepting our request when you came knocking on our gate, so we were cautious, but we let you in anyway." _Ah right._ I remembered how Natsu dragged me off that day. _Nobody must have reported to Mirajane._ "We would have told you all this the next morning and asked for the map back!" His voice was rising. "But YOU! You destroyed our map!" I jumped in shock as he now pointed his demon finger at me and hollered.

"Bu- but- but, that was-"

"That was to save his life, I know." Mayor Mocha nodded in Natsu's direction. His voice was calm when he interrupted me. _Phew! _I guess he was angry at me but found it forgivable, given the circumstances.

Then he spoke again, this time gratitude in his voice. "And in return, you all saved our lives. It would be shameless of us to ask, and we can't do anything if you refuse, but take it as repaying us for destroying the map? Please! We acknowledge you as powerful mages, so please help us find the cure!" He bowed to us, and everyone in the village behind him followed.

I was taken aback and did not know what to make of this situation. I looked at Erza, Gray and Natsu. Erza was in deep thought. Gray looked serious, but he had not said anything throughout.

"I understand." Natsu said and he stood up. The villagers' heads looked up, and I, too, looked at him in surprise.

"True, we would damage our reputation if we didn't follow through a mission." Gray said as he got up as well.

"That's right. Stand up, everyone. We would have done so even if you hadn't asked." Everyone rose to their feet at Erza's words.

_This is what it's like to be a Fairy Tail mage huh? _I smiled at that thought.

"Thank you." Mayor Mocha said. "I am about 150 years old now. If I were to enter the Forbidden Temple, I may not make it out alive. But even so, I would like to bring you there."

"Eh?" was my response.

"Are you sure, old man? I'm sure we can manage by ourselves." Gray said.

"Yes. As the current head, it is my responsibility that the precious heirloom was stolen and destroyed. So to seek the forgiveness of my fellow villagers, I want to ascertain for myself whether or not this cure exists once and for all." He replied. Then he turned to his people and said, "If I do not return, it would mean that I am dead and that the cure does not exist! In that case, I would like to appoint, Bobo, my son, as the next chief head, and I order EVERYONE to cease the meaningless search for the cure!"

"Very well. I respect your decision." Erza said. And that was that.

* * *

We arrived at the Forbidden Temple and climbed a long flight of stairs that led to the main entrance and paused there. There was no door, just a rectangular arc. Above the door was a stone, with a red crescent on it. Beside the arc were two cylindrical pillars which also had the red crescent on them.

"It's also known as the Temple of the Moon." Mayor Mocha offered an explanation.

"Hmm. Let's enter." Erza said.

When we walked through the arc, we entered a spacious dilapidated place with collapsed bits of stone all over the floors. Some tree roots had managed to grow through the cracks of the stone bricks. We all looked around freely.

"Waaah…" I marveled, amazed to be inside such an ancient landmark.

"It's so big!" Happy exclaimed.

"It's my first time being in here too. I'm surprised we have such a huge temple!" Mayor Mocha remarked.

"Then? How should we go about searching for the treasure?" Erza asked.

I was about to suggest something but a deep unknown voice called, "That's as far as you will go!" _The monster?! _

Straightaway, we looked where the voice had come from. It was not the monster. On a raised rundown platform, there stood six individuals.

"Prepare yourselves, Fairy Tail!" A male in armour forewarned. The deep voice from before did not belong to him.

"From here on, we will not allow you to pass!" A third male spoke, his voice different from the first two.

Among the six, four of them were males: two I've never seen before, another looked familiar and the last was Byro Cracy. The other two were females- Coco and Mary Hughes!

_Argh, Zentopia…! _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hey guys! :D Sorry for the wait, but here's the new chapter! How was it? Please tell me what you think and leave your reviews! ^^ **

**Oh, btw, a Magic Seal is like the circle thingy that appears before the mages cast their magic... I always see it in the FT anime. I think I forgot to describe it in my first few chapters, but I'm still trying to figure out how to write this, so forgive me for that little miss! **

**Thank you for reading/reviewing/following/favourite-ing! ^^ Chapter 9 will be out before Christmas!**

**** Update: I changed it to 6 people instead of 5! Last minute decision! **


	11. Chapter 9: Treasure

**~ Treasure ~**

Everyone assumed a guarded battle stance and Erza requipped into her Heaven's Wheel armour. We all had our eyes on those six.

I gave the six of them a once over. One of the three new faces weren't really new to me. _I've seen him before, but where? … _That blue robe and that gold-trimmed white cape… And that strange hat! _Ah-hah! It's that unfriendly man I saw in Magnolia the day I first joined Fairy Tail! _That's right, he's from Zentopia too, and if he travelled around in a carriage, then he must be pretty high ranked.

There was another guy with blonde hair in a ridiculous pompadour hairstyle. He wore an equally ridiculous white disco suit. And the third new face was a young dude with brown hair, fully covered in armour.

"Fairy Tail, you have meddled in our affairs time after time. Did you think we would let you off so easily?" The guy who was supposedly high ranking spoke sternly but calmly. He had an air of self-assurance about him that I didn't like.

"Oh? We didn't think you'd come after us so soon after your ship went down from something like that…" Gray talked back.

"Oi, oi, oi… What do you mean by _'something like that_'? You wanna go, punk?!" Natsu threatened and shook his fist at Gray. _Sigh, at least think of the time and place, Natsu… _

Instead of responding to Natsu's childish challenge, Gray just shrugged and said, "I'm just saying… They sure talk big for a bunch of illegal smugglers."

"What a _spicy_ accusation! Did you hear that, Lapointe-sama?" The male in the ridiculous disco suit exclaimed. "sama" told me that that arrogant bastard was definitely their superior.

"Yes, Sugar Boy, let me do the talking." Lapointe spoke conceitedly. "Illegal? And what proof do you have of this?"

"Of course that would be all the stolen goods in your pirate ship! Including mayor Mocha's family treasure!" I shouted in response, not sure where my courage came from. But his arrogance ticked me off.

It was true that up till now there hadn't been a shred of evidence against their criminal activities and illegal businesses, which was why the council in charge of merchant guilds hadn't been able to charge them with anything. _Until we stumbled upon their ship that is. _What we found in their pirate ship is proof, and what we had seen and experienced in the past few days is more than enough to shut down their guild. That's probably why they were hunting us so desperately even though the map had burnt- they wanted to silence us.

The guy called Lapointe made another satirical remark. "Oh really? But the ship is now at the bottom of the ocean, so there's no evidence anymore right?"

"That's right. We'll just claim that we found our goods by chance like we always do and nothing ever happens." Mary Hughes commented.

"Even so, it can easily be excavated using magic." Erza responded smartly.

"Clever thinking, _armour girl!_" Sugar Boy complimented.

"But covering our tracks is what we do best!" The armoured dude exclaimed.

"Just as Dan said." Lapointe said.

Then Byro Cracy erupted in his gruff voice. "Enough talk! Lapointe-sama, can we annihilate them already?" Byro's arrogance almost matched Lapointe's.

"Don't look down on us, you damned pirates!" Gray shouted, evidently maddened by all their arrogance too.

Coco was silent throughout and she had a pained look on her face. I briefly wondered if she was hurt when she got washed up to the coast after that shipwreck.

"Pirates?" A confused look replaced the arrogance on Lapointe's face.

"Argh! Enough! You all piss me off!" Natsu yelled abruptly. _It seems all our minds think alike!_ Then his cheeks swelled and he held his hands to his mouth like he was holding a trumpet and then he blew a thin line of flames which expanded into a beam of flames.

We thought he had gotten them with that large breath of fire, but then his stream of flames collided into an oval-shaped shield, and the attack bounced off and refracted in all directions like light reflecting off of a mirror. We all took cover and the old structure of the temple quivered in protest. Several rocks fell from the ceiling that couldn't be seen way above our heads.

"Careful there or the entire place might just collapse!" Dan- I presume that's his name- warned as he held up the oval shield that just repelled Natsu's attack.

"That's right, _hot boy!_" Sugar Boy said.

Everyone was stunned that Natsu's fires got ricocheted just like that.

"We'll teach you a lesson!" Mary Hughes yelled and then she fired the magic machine gun in her hands. Everybody immediately scattered, ducking and diving in all directions, avoiding the bullets. All her shots hit the ground, which was good except…

A ripple of ominous cracks ensued and I looked down just as the floor beneath me gave way. Then I free fell backwards into nothingness.

"I knew this temple was shabby…!" I heard Natsu's fading shout.

* * *

"Open, the Gate of the Ram! Aries!" I instinctively grabbed my key and waved it as my arms flailed. I landed on Aries' soft and spongy wool with a bounce.

"Um… Is that good enough? I'm sorry!" Aries squealed.

"You were just in time, Aries!"

"Really? I'm sorry!" Her apologies persisted. Then her wool disappeared and I stood to my feet. The bits of rock fragments felt rough against the soles of my bare feet.

"That really saved us. Thanks." It was Erza's voice.

"Phew, for a moment there I thought it was over. It's too lame to die from a fall inside a temple when there's a fearsome monster." Mayor Mocha said.

My eyes took a while to adjust to the darkness and soon I could make out Erza and mayor Mocha's face. Some light shone from above but it was barely any at all so it was rather dark. The space we had fallen into was like a large ditch or a large cave. There was an enormous pile of rubble blocking one side, and the other side was a dead end. Natsu, Gray and Happy were nowhere to be seen.

"Gray! Natsu! Are you guys safe?" Erza called out. Echoes reverberated.

_We got separated? _"Natsu! Happy! Gray!" I yelled out as well. For a minute or two, all I heard were echoes.

Then a response came, "I'm here. Are you both on the other side?" Natsu's voice came from beyond the rubble wall. We had fallen into different pits I figured, since we all scattered when we were avoiding Mary Hughes' bullets.

"Yes, mayor Mocha too!" I replied instantly.

"Gray, you there too?" Erza yelled.

"Hah?" came Gray's voice.

Then Natsu's voice came through again. "Alright, stand back. I'm going to break down thi-"

He was interrupted by the drilling sound of a machine gun. _Was Mary Hughes over there too? _

"You?!" I heard Gray shout. "Ice Make: Hammer!"

"Uh-oh! Not so fast, _ice boy!_" This tone of voice, it could only be Sugar Boy. "Go, my hound dogs!"

"What is that disgusting stuff?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"What happened?" I yelled anxiously. _What was going on over there?!_

"Give me a moment; I'll smash this wall right now!" Erza said and she requipped several more swords that appeared and floated in the air. But regardless, the fight continued over on the other side.

"Fire Dragon's Claw!"

"Oi! Don't get in my way, talking matchstick!"

Their bickering could be heard through the rubble barrier. _Are these guys in their right mind? _

"You're the one in my way right, talking underpants?!" That told me that Gray had stripped again. _Nope, probably not, _I concluded the state of their mental health silently.

"Shut up and work together!" Erza shouted.

"Watch out!" Mayor Mocha shouted. But too late; all of a sudden, I felt something constricting my body and I was immobilized. A glowing green claw lingered threateningly at my neck! _Shit! When did somebody sneak up behind me? _

Erza diverted her attention from the rocks to me. She hadn't realized that someone had crept behind me and had unknowingly appeared in the same ditch as us. This dark magic, it was a mage- but who? I couldn't turn my neck but I soon found out.

"Lapointe…!" Erza snarled our foe's name. _Wait a minute, wasn't he a pirate? _

"One move and I'll slice her." Lapointe threatened. I leaned backwards as far as I could. I dared not even breathe, afraid that the slightest movement would cause an accidental death.

"You fiend… I'll make you regret pitting yourself against Fairy Tail." Erza hissed, and she requipped into new armour that I haven't seen before. It was white one piece with orange and yellow pieces on her shoulders and around her waist. Her hair was in tangled buns. She wielded a pair of matching swords.

Just then Byro Cracy dropped from above and landed heavily on his two feet with a thump. He held a shotgun in each hand, which he pointed Erza and mayor Mocha. "That's quite a load of big empty words." His deep voice echoed. His sheer size and height made this medium-sized cave feel claustrophobic, or maybe it was just the green pincer at my throat that made it feel that way.

_I've got to get out of this. Otherwise Erza can't make a move either. _My eyes flickered to her, and then to mayor Mocha, and then to Byro. Then I realized that Aries was still here and I had an idea. I made eye contact with Erza for about three seconds, hoping she would read the intent in my eyes. Just as I was about signal to Aries, something flashed past and hit Lapointe with such force that I heard the impact.

_Whatever it was, thank you! _"Now, Aries!" I yelled.

"Wool bomb!"

"Photon slicer!" Erza released a charge of energy from her twin swords.

In a second, the grasp of the green claws weakened and faded. Before anybody could react, Erza had knocked Lapointe out. Byro wasted no time and he fired his two guns, but Erza was quicker. It was almost like she teleported, and she knocked his guns out of his hands by kicking her legs. After which she swiftly knocked him out with the hilt of her swords.

_Hah! _"That's Erza for you!" I exclaimed. _But aren't they a little too weak…? Oh well, _I shrugged it off.

Now that I could move, I saw Coco on the ground and instantly concluded that it was her who rammed Lapointe over. Plus Aries' wool bomb, he was plenty distracted. Then Erza took that opportunity to strike. _Pretty much the plan I had in mind, but better with extra distraction. _

"Ice Blade! Seven Slice Dance!"

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

I heard yells from over the other side.

"Alright. Now for this wall." Erza said, and then she pointed her twin blades, about to smashed the rubble with another energy blast. But then all the rocks came crumbling down as collateral damage from Natsu's roar, revealing Natsu, Gray and Happy beyond as well as the limp bodies of Mary Hughes, Sugar Boy and Dan. Dan's lance was poking out of the cave wall and his magic shield had cracked. _How did they manage that? _

"Yo!" Gray greeted us.

"Cheh~ those guys were so weak!" Natsu scoffed as he swung and flexed his arm.

"Aye!"

Then Erza said, "In any case, looks like we won't be able to climb out of here. Let's walk on in that direction." She pointed. The cave extended in one direction, opposite from the dead end. We all nodded and began to walk. Just as I turned, I realized Coco stood by the side and she hung her head low. She just tried to save me, even though she scolded me that time when I saved her. _Her heart must be so conflicted right now… _

I smiled widely and waved, "Come on, Coco!" When she heard her name she looked at me with a bewildered look in her eyes, but she followed anyway.

* * *

My feet had gotten used to the feeling of the rough rocky ground now, but I couldn't deny that they started to ache after all this while. As we walked on forward, the cave seemed to wind around endlessly. After walking for a while, the cave widened.

_Grrr… _A low growl echoed. _Eh? _"Tame your stomach, idiot." Gray said.

"Gahh! That wasn't me!" Natsu yelled.

_Grrrrr… _The low growl echoed again, it was louder than the first. "Natsu, your stomach…" Happy retold.

"Shut up! Like I said, it's not my stomach! It's Gray's!" Natsu retorted.

"Hah?! That wasn't me! Idiot!"

_Grrrr…! Piak! _It sounded like something slapped mayor Mocha across the face and suddenly he was tossed to the floor, lying on his front. Everyone was surprised and stopped walking.

"Are you alright, mayor Mocha?" Coco scurried over to help him up. But as soon as he got up, _swoosh! _This time a gust of wind whirred past us before something hit mayor Mocha from the back, forcing him into a kneeling position.

"Wha-?" Gray gasped. We closed in around mayor Mocha in a circle, very much on guard again.

"Who goes there?!" Erza yelled into the blackness and she raised her two swords. But there was nothing as far as our eyes could see.

Natsu lit up the cave with flames in his palm. Yet, before we could do anything, mayor Mocha received three more simultaneous hits and he was on the ground again.

"Ugh… it's the monster…" Mayor Mocha groaned.

"Huh? Where?!" Happy said. We all looked around flustered. We hadn't even _seen _it but it had already managed to land so many attacks. But it only seemed to attack mayor Mocha. _What kind of fearsome monster are we up against now? _

"Agh!" Mayor Mocha faced another round of battering from this evasive enemy.

"Over there!" Natsu shouted and threw a fireball which hit the cave wall. Several rocks crumbled in that instance.

"Stop! Don't attack randomly! Otherwise the cave might collapse as well!" Erza shouted. This made Natsu frown.

"Ah! There again!" Natsu dove and covered mayor Mocha's back with his body so this time Natsu got hit instead.

"Natsu, you… Can you see it?" I asked.

He got up and rubbed his back. "Nope, but I can hear its movements. But it's fast so I missed just now."

"Really? But if you shoot aimlessly I have a feeling this cave will fall. If that happens then I don't know how we're going to get out so we can't have that. We've still got to search for the cure after all." Erza said.

"That's a real problem…" I said.

"Don't even think about it!" Natsu exclaimed as he blocked another attack for mayor Mocha. Mayor Mocha was beaten up pretty bad for someone his age and he couldn't stand without Coco's support. Natsu, on the other hand, seemed fine after receiving two attacks from that elusive fiend. _Maybe it's only dangerous towards half-demons…?_

"Natsu, can you catch it?" Erza asked.

"Hah? Let me try." He replied. Then he closed his eyes in concentration for a while as he listened with his ears. _He's really not a Dragon Slayer for nothing… _I was amazed. About five seconds later, he jumped forth and grabbed at something, but he ended up hugging the air and crashing into the cave wall. _Ouch. _

"Useless as usual…" Gray muttered.

"Aaahh? What did you say?" Natsu said as he rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his hair. "If you're so useful then why don't you try it?"

"Fine by me." Gray said confidently and he took his usual casting stance, one fist in the other palm.

"Gray, you can hear it too?" Erza said in disbelief.

"Nope. Not at all."

"Then what are you trying to do?" Happy asked.

"Try catching it again, Natsu."

"Don't go ordering me around…!" But then Natsu dived in another direction and grappled at thin air again. At that split second, ice started to form around Natsu's forearm and hands and it spread forward, freezing around the shape of… a panther? A midnight black panther was frozen in mid leap like an ice sculpture.

"A panther huh?" Erza said.

"Panther? Awesome! It's like a huge cat eh?" Happy marveled excitedly.

"Oi, you ass! Don't freeze my hands!" Natsu shouted.

"Whoa there, if you try to melt it you'll free it!" Gray warned. "And after all the trouble I took to capture it…"

"Don't move, Natsu. Good job, Gray. I'll deal with it in one quick slice." Erza stepped forth and prepared her swords.

"Stop." Mayor Mocha said weakly and then he coughed. All eyes on him now as he staggered forward, Coco following him, to the panther encased in ice and placed a hand on it. "It's a shadow panther. Swords won't work on it. No magic can destroy this creature."

"I see…" Erza put her swords away.

"Then? What should we do?" I questioned.

"Hurry up and do something! I don't wanna be stuck like this!" Natsu complained and fidgeted.

"I said don't move!" Erza bellowed.

"Yes, ma'am!" Natsu immediately obeyed because he was afraid of Erza.

"For now, let's bring it back to the village." Mayor Mocha stated firmly.

* * *

Over time this tunnel seemed less like a cave and more like a secret passageway, deliberately built as part of the temple. Gray kept refreezing the animal as we went along.

It felt like eternity to me as we walked on through this cave. My feet had gotten several cuts and they started to hurt. It wasn't just the usual tired and achy feeling, but they really hurt.

"How long have we been walking? Somebody tell me whether we're reaching soon…" I grumbled.

"Remind me why we think the end of this cave will lead us out again?" Happy said.

"But, Happy, you don't even have to walk." I reminded.

"I'm rather enjoying myself actually!" Gray exclaimed.

"Good for you huh…" Natsu narrowed his eyes at Gray. His hands were still in that awkward "tried-to-catch-but-missed" pose.

"Guys look ahead!" Erza called. What we saw was literally the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Alright! We're there!" Natsu gave a little leap of joy before he shot off full speed ahead. Gray ran off after him.

I took a big step forward, intending to launch into a sprint too. "Ouch!" But then I stepped on something sharp and I flinched.

"What's wrong?" Erza was the first to show her concern.

I lifted my right foot tentatively and saw a super jagged rock beneath. _Damned rock. _"Nothing, just cut my foot." And then I continue walking, but when I tried to put weight onto that foot, an unpleasant pain shot through my foot so I hobbled instead.

"Where are your shoes?" Erza asked.

"Dropped somewhere…" I didn't feel like talking because I was trying to concentrate on walking.

"Lucy-san, you're bleeding!" Coco, who followed behind with mayor Mocha, said.

"Eh?" I turned around and sure enough, there were blood trails from where I had treaded. I hadn't noticed I was bleeding.

"Come on," Erza said, and then she lifted my right arm over her shoulder and put her left arm around my waist, supporting my weight. "Why didn't you say anything when you're in this much pain?"

Her actions came unexpected to me and I just stared at her, unable to say anything. Then she smiled before saying, "It's alright to rely on your friends you know." Her smile enveloped me in a warm feeling. At that moment I thought, she was like a dependable big sister. _I want to become best friends with someone like that. _And I smiled back wordlessly.

Time seemed to pass by faster, or somehow the last length of the tunnel seemed shorter, and before long, we emerged from the passage at the foot of a mountain. The heat of the sun was weaker now so I knew it was around late afternoon.

"Oh! They're finally here!" Happy announced our arrival. Natsu and Gray were already there waiting for all of us.

"Lucy, are you hurt?" Natsu asked upon seeing me leaning my weight against Erza.

"I'm okay!" I replied with a smile. _I really felt okay. Because my friends are with me. _

"That's not true! She left a trail of bloody footprints!" Coco spoke up. She could tell I was still toning down on my reports to them.

"Hmm…" Gray came forward and then he bent down in front of me. Before I could protest or ask what he was doing, he lifted my right foot and froze the wound shut.

"Cold!" I yelped.

"Better?" Gray asked as he stood. I removed my arm from Erza's shoulder and hesitantly balanced my weight on both feet. It didn't hurt.

Then Natsu complained, "My hands are cold too."

Then mayor Mocha spoke feebly, "Then we don't have to go all the way back to the village. Just getting out of the cave is enough. You can release it now."

Without waiting another minute, Natsu flamed up his arms and all the ice melted. We all thought the panther would pounce onto mayor Mocha again, but to all our astonishments, it started to burn in black flames. Mayor Mocha went forward and stuck both his hands into the flames. When the flames subsided, a pile of ashes remained in mayor Mocha's hands.

"Ooooh…" Natsu was impressed by that.

Now I only felt confused. I thought we needed to dispose of it at the village and then we were going back into the temple to search for the cure without disturbances.

"This is…" Mayor Mocha started off, but then he seemed to change his mind and he spoke again. "That was the shadow panther. My father told me stories about this creature and how it burns under sunlight. I thought it was just a bedtime story that every father would tell his child when they were young. But when I saw it underneath, with its fur as black as midnight, it all makes sense now…"

"What do you mean?" I still didn't understand.

"The creature that burns under sunlight. The map that burns under sunlight. In other words, the shadow panther is the cure." Erza drew the link for all of us.

"So these ashes are the cure?" Gray questioned doubtfully.

"I find it hard to belief myself, but yes… I think our village alchemist will be able to make a potion with this that would cure everyone." Mayor Mocha answered. When he heard this, Natsu sulked. _Why did he sulk? _

"Then let's hurry back." Erza said.

* * *

We stood around the bubbling cauldron out in the open space. The villagers had cleaned up by now even though the huts were not standing anymore. Everybody was watching as the alchemist brewed the potion. The five of us from Fairy Tail had a front view.

"It's done!" The alchemist announced as he threw his hands in the air in celebration. The villagers broke out in a huge uproar of cheers.

"This happiness and this joy, it is all thanks to you guys." Mayor Mocha said to us.

"Not at all. It is just our mission." Erza replied politely.

"I still don't like this." Natsu sulked and he folded his arms.

"That's why… Just say it already. What's your problem?" Gray asked.

"Why do all of them want to be cured so much? What's so good about becoming fully human or fully demon? How can they say that they don't belong anywhere? As long as you are with the people you love, as long as you are surrounded by your friends… Who cares whether you have two heads or three legs?! Haven't they already found where they belong? They belong here, don't they?! This whole village feels just like family already, so why can't they treasure what they already have?!"

At that instant, I recalled what he had said to me before: _"I don't understand this." "What don't you understand?" "Why the Mocha guy said that half-demons do not belong anywhere. I mean, hasn't he already found a place where he belongs?" _

I finally understood what he meant.

Everyone was astounded at what Natsu had said. All the villagers had heard him because he was shouting so loudly. Nobody spoke for a while.

After a while, the crowd started murmuring. _Oh no, were they angry? _I thought. But then the whispers became clearer. "He's right." "Why didn't we realize it before?" "We've been so stupid…"

Then mayor Mocha clapped twice and got everybody's attention. Then he spoke in a raised voice, "I think we now have a decision to make. Let us vote. All those who think that we do not need this potion anymore, please raise your hands."

"Aye!" Happy raised his hand straightaway even though he wasn't a half-demon.

All at once, all the villagers raised their hands. Someone even shouted "What's so good about being human?" "Yeah! Humans don't live until 300 years old!" Another person responded to that question. The atmosphere was revived and cheerful again.

"Then the answer is clear now." Mayor Mocha proclaimed. "We will dispose of this potion."

"Hehe!" Natsu was smiling again. "Let me do it!"

"Right. Natsu's specialty is destroying stuff." Erza nodded in approval.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He busted the vat to smithereens and his flames evaporated the potion on the spot.

"YAYYY!" The crowd applauded and cheered.

After that the entire village had a festival and they danced the night away around the bonfire. They cooked lots of food from their storage that was some distance away from the village so it didn't explode in that Infinity Cannon blast.

The next morning the village came to send us off at the shore. Mayor Mocha's son, Bobo, was going to row us back to Hargeon Town.

"Ugh. I'd rather swim back." Natsu groaned at the thought of transportation.

"Don't be rude." Erza said. Then she thanked mayor Mocha. "Thank you for taking care of us!"

"Yeah! It was real fun!" Gray said.

"Thank you, Fairy Tail. We will never forget this." Mayor Mocha said.

"It was our pleasure!" I said and then I stepped onto the boat. Gray and Erza came on board too, Erza dragging Natsu by his scarf.

"Oh, wait, Lucy!" Mayor Mocha called just as Bobo was about to set off. I turned around and saw him digging in his pocket. "Here," he said as he held out a golden key to me.

_Is that…?! _"Sagittarius' key?!" I exclaimed, extremely surprised.

"Yes. This mission initially had no reward because the treasure was actually the cure… But then I realized you're a Celestial mage, so this should be useful to you." The mayor said.

"Yes! Thank you very much!" I accepted the key with both hands.

As we sailed away, we all waved at each other enthusiastically, except Natsu, of course. He just slumped over the boat's edge again.

I felt a pang of nostalgia as I realized that my very first mission had come to an end. But at the thought of the next mission, I didn't feel so down anymore. _I'm going to remember every adventure and treasure every moment. _

[To be continued…]

**Ok. I know I said by Christmas… I'm sorry this chapter is late! But omg, it's like 4600 words. I admit the way Zentopia got defeated is kind of a buzzkill… but they received quite a lot of damage when Natsu blasted their ship & they are actually a merchant guild so they can't be too strong. Well, at least not for the first mission anyway! **

**A [late] merry Christmas to everyone! Thank you for reading & reviewing/following/favourite-ing! ^^ ****Btw I haven't proofread yet because I wanted to update quickly… Sorry for typing errors…**


	12. Chapter 10: Celebration

**~ Celebration ~ **

By the time we were back at Hargeon Town, my foot no longer had Gray's ice patch but it didn't bleed anymore. We stopped by a clothing boutique so I could buy myself some shoes before we went to the train station. It was a rather large store and could well be the only clothes shop in a port town like Hargeon.

I stared at the shoes on display. I couldn't decide which pair to buy, but I narrowed my choices down to two pairs: brown stylish mid-high boots or pretty rose-coloured lace-up sandals… _Which one should I buy? _

"Aghh, hurry up and choose one already." Gray rushed me.

"Geez, we have a lot of time anyways right?" I replied. Then I picked up one boot with my left hand and one sandal with my other. I looked at the boot, and then I looked at the sandal. Then I yelled in frustration, "Argh! I just can't decide!"

"Take your time. I found some things I want to buy too." I looked at Erza, the one who just said that. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets when I saw her in a bunny costume. _I didn't know that's your kind of style, Erza! _

"How is it? Does it suit me?" She spun one round as she asked for our opinion.

"Err…" I didn't know what to say.

"Or does the cat one look better?" She said and then she requipped. The cat costume came with paw gloves and a tail…

"Oh! Erza, I like this one better!" Happy commented.

"Really?" She looked down at her outfit and- _did that tail just wiggle…? _

I couldn't help but giggle at that sight. That's right; Erza was, after all, a girl too. And she looked so cute! "They both look cute on you, Erza! But help me here," I raised both shoes in my hands. "Which should I buy?"

"Ohh~ Shoes. Hmm…" She pondered as she looked from the brown boot to the pink sandal. Then she decided, "Both."

"Eh-" That was not the response I was hoping for…

"Argh, just pick one already! We've been here for like 30 minutes." Gray complained again.

"Shut up, Gray. Why don't you pick some clothes while we're at it and stop being naked all the time?" Erza summoned forth her menacing killer aura as she said that to Gray.

"Eep! Yes, ma'am!" was all Gray could manage before he disappeared into the men's section clothing racks. After all that ruckus on Galuna Island, he was walking around Hargeon Town in boxers and attracting loads of unwanted attention to the group…

_As expected of Erza, only she could have this kind of impact on Gray and Natsu. _And then I noticed Natsu's absence. "By the way, where's Natsu? I didn't notice when I was looking at the shoes, but he seems to have disappeared."

"I've decided!" Erza suddenly shouted. "I'll just buy both!" _Did she even hear my question? _

She ignored my question but I just let it go, and said, "Then… I'll just get both too- In celebration of my very first mission and getting a new key!"

I picked up the matching pairs that were left on the rack and walked to the cashier with Erza. She had requipped back to her casual Heart Kreuz armour and she slung the bunny costume and the cat costume over her right forearm.

The cashier rung up my items and said, "That would be 3400 jewels." Then I reached into my skirt pocket and froze in shock. _Eh- Wait a second… …_

After everything that happened during our mission, I forgot that I didn't bring any money…!_ Besides, when I first left Hargeon Town, I wasn't even wearing these clothes. _

"What's wrong, Lucy? Ah, you didn't bring any jewels with you? That's alright," Erza broke my shocked trance. Then she told the cashier, "I'll pay for everything." She stepped up and put her costumes on the counter.

"Sorry about that! I'll pay you back when we get home." I replied awkwardly.

"It's alright. Just take it as a 'Congratulations on your first mission' present or a 'Welcome to Fairy Tail' present."

"Eh? But-"

"It's fine, it's fine!" She received the shopping bags from the cashier over the counter.

"Then… Thanks!" I smiled at her. _Yay! _

"Ok, I'll go find those two rascals now. Aren't you going to wear your shoes?" She said.

"Ah right. Pass me that, I'll go back to the shoes section and wear them."

"Ok, we'll meet you there later."

* * *

I sat down on the padded ottoman seat and opened one of the two shopping bags. I decided to wear the sandals now and I put them on. _There! _I'm glad I decided to get both! As I laughed to myself internally and rejoiced about my new buys, I failed to notice the guy watching me in the corner.

When I've put on my shoes, I stood up, but an acute pain from my right foot caught me off guard and I immediately lost my balance. I almost fell to my right, if not for the hands at under my right hand and arm that supported and stabilized me. I looked up and saw a young man's face. I was momentarily wordless when I saw his face; he was a good-looking guy and at that moment, a bad boy smirk played on his lips.

_Damn, maybe the usual 4 inches are a bit much for my injured foot. _My balance was different. "Thanks," I mumbled as I used his support to readjust my balance. Then I lifted my arm out of his hands. For some reason I felt guarded against this guy.

When I was standing upright, I carefully observed his appearance. He had very recognizable hair that was a unique black-white split, half of it was black and the other half was white. His hair was long for a guy, but it was tied up. He wore a dull red loose garb that looked ninja-like.

"Heels a bit too high?" He teased.

But before I could reply, I heard familiar voices arguing in the background. It was a pretty one-sided argument…

"…So you decided to ignore my advice huh?!" Erza growled. When I heard her voice, I looked in that direction. She emitted that scary killer aura and she was dragging Natsu and Gray over here by their ears. Gray, although not just in his boxers anymore, only wore pants.

"No!" Natsu and Gray said together.

"Oh, so now you're talking back to me?" Erza said threateningly.

"No, no, no!" The two of them said in unison.

"Happy, help me!" Natsu pleaded to the cat that floated in front of Erza.

"Me? I'm just a cat!" Happy replied cheekily, obviously taking pleasure in watching Natsu being punished by Erza.

"You- ow, ow, OW!" Natsu was about to pull Happy down from the air but Erza twisted his ear by several more degrees which made him yelp in pain.

"Hahahah- OW!" Gray got the same punishment when he laughed at Natsu.

"Lucy…" Natsu pleaded in a tone which said 'save me'.

"That's not possible you know…" I simply shook my head and replied. This was Erza we're talking about. Besides, whatever he did to receive such treatment from her was probably justified.

"Your friends?" The stranger beside me spoke. I had almost forgotten his presence and his inquiry surprised me a little. Instead of replying, I just looked at him in bafflement. Why's a total stranger asking me that?

"Someone you know, Lucy?" Gray asked. By then, they had walked up to me and the guy. Erza had let go of their ears.

"Nope," I denied.

"No, I just happened to be nearby when this lady stumbled, so I helped her." He said factually.

Three worried looks were cast in my direction when Erza, Natsu and Gray heard that. _Urgh, this nosy guy. _I understand his good will and all, but honestly…

"Lucy, does it hurt? You want me to carry you?" Natsu stepped forward, directly in front of me, and stared at me intently. I think he was searching for pain in my expression, but there were none because it didn't hurt _that _badly.

I shook my head and said, "It doesn't hurt. I'm fine."

Erza looked at the clock on the wall in the store and said, "Okay. It's almost time to board the train so we should go." Then she turned to the stranger and said, "Thanks." And then we left the store.

* * *

We took the 2:30pm train back to Magnolia and we arrived at 4:30pm. It was a pretty uninteresting journey back as we were all tired after that mission. And Natsu, who was usually overly energetic, was out like a light due to extreme motion sickness anyway. But he revived quickly when the train stopped.

"YEAH! We're back!" He cheered happily as he jumped off the train.

Along the way back to the guild, Erza said she had something to do at the bakery and that she would meet us back there.

"We're back!" I announced as Natsu, Gray and I walked through the guild's main entrance. Happy just flew by.

"Welcome back!" Several voices chorused. I could roughly make out the voices. If I weren't wrong, they were Wendy's, Cana's, Elfman's and Lisanna's.

There weren't many people in the guild right now. Other than Wendy, Cana, Elfman and Lisanna, there were 4 other people, Macao, Wakaba, Reedus and of course, Mirajane. Wendy was eating with Carla at one of the tables. Macao and Wakaba were chatting away animatedly at another table and Reedus was busy painting at the side of the restaurant.

"Oh? It's just the 3 of you? Where's Erza?" Lisanna asked as we walked up to her. She was sitting at another one of the tables with Elfman.

"She said she had something to do at the bakery." Natsu answered before plopping down on the seat beside Lisanna.

"The bakery is the man!" Elfman shouted. _Whatever that means… _

I gave a tired sigh before I left the group and went to the bar. I dropped my shopping bags by the bar stool before hoisting myself onto it. Then I slumped my torso on the bar top, my cheek squished against the cool marble.

"Welcome back!" Mirajane greeted me when I sat down.

"I'm so tired…" I exhaled heavily as I said that.

"Oh my," she said. "How about some coffee?"

"Thanks, Mira."

"Would you like an espresso, an Americano, a cappuccino, a frappuccino, a mocha, or a latte?" She asked in her ever cheery voice.

"Ugh…" was all I said in reply. My brain was too tired to process a reply to that bunch of words Mira just said. Even though I didn't summon so many Spirits in one day during the mission, it was still tiring. Perhaps because I was far away from home.

_Wait, home? _

_… I see. _A smile subconsciously appeared on my face. I see_…_ Even though I hadn't been here that long, I already treated Fairy Tail as home.

"It's a bad day to be so tired when it's just in the afternoon." Mira said.

I lifted my head off the bar top and looked at her, puzzled. "Why?"

"We're having the annual Countdown party later tonight!" She said. Her face lit up in excitement.

"Ehhhh?!" I was surprised. "Is it already 31st December?!"

"Yup!" She replied happily. "Oh! Welcome back, Erza!" Her eyes weren't looking at me anymore, they looked behind me. I turned around and saw Erza walking towards the bar.

"I'm back." Erza reported and she sat down beside me. "Mira, the usual, thanks."

If there's a party tonight then I probably won't last from now until then. _Guess I'll go home and take a nap… _

"I think I won't have the coffee, Mira. I'm going home for a nap before the party. See you guys later, Mira, Erza." I hopped off the bar stool. Erza just went "oh" in acknowledgement. I bent down, picked up my shopping bags that had my brown boots in one and an empty shoebox in the other, and headed towards the exit.

Just as I walked out of the doors, "Wait, Lucy!" Someone called out. I halted and saw Natsu running over.

"What is it?" I asked, slightly crankily because I wanted to quickly get home to my nice fluffy bed. When I walked on, he followed.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Home."

"Oh. But you're coming back for the party later right?"

"Un." I nodded. "Just going home to nap first. I'm so tired." I ended off that last word in a yawn. Then I realized something: _is he following me home? _

"You sure? Won't you like, accidentally oversleep or something?"

"Eh… What time is the party?" I asked another question instead of answering his.

"8:00." He said. It felt like he hesitated for a moment before he spoke again, "How about I come by at 7:00 to wake you up?"

Even though I thought I'd most likely be awake by then, I absentmindedly agreed. When we reached my front door I could feel my brain dozing off, I wasn't very alert anymore. When I stepped in and took off my shoes, I turned around to say bye to Natsu but then he just invited himself in.

… … "What do you think you are doing?"

"Oh! Ojamashimasu! (Sorry to intrude!)" He misunderstood me and just walked pass me. I stoned at the doorway for a few seconds and my mind blanked. Did he just…? I watched him inspect my house and marvel at my furniture before he plopped himself down onto my sofa.

"Lucy!" He called and I snapped out of my trance. "Do you have food?"

_He expects me to serve him food?_ I was more surprised than angry. "What do you take my house for?"

I expected a response but he just blinked and stared at me. I sighed in resignation and said, "Check the fridge in the kitchen. I'm going upstairs to sleep. Let yourself out when you're done." Then I dumped the shopping bags by the sofa before walking up the stairs. I heard the soft creak of the sofa springs and I knew he got up. Just before I entered my room I heard the clank of milk bottles and jam jars as he opened my fridge. Then I realized what I had just done and frantically went back down a few steps.

"Natsu! Don't clean out my fridge okay!" I yelled from the stairs.

I heard the sound of him rummaging through my fridge pause for awhile, then he shouted back, "Ok!"

To be honest I doubted whether he would really not empty my fridge, but I had no energy to chase him out and I was too tired to watch over him in my house. Anyway, he probably won't do anything else, I thought, so I just curled up in my bed. Wrapped in comfy-ness, I drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

When I awoke it was 6:53pm on my clock. I decided to take a bath.

_Ahhh~ Nothing like a warm bath after a fulfilling nap~! _I thought as I sank into the bathtub filled with warm water. I poured some strawberry-scented bath soak into the water and it turned pink. I sank deeper into an utterly relaxed posture and leaned my head against the edge of the bathtub. My thoughts began to wander about the party tonight. _What should I wear? Should I have Cancer come out and do my hair? Wonder what they usually do at the Countdown party… _

And just like that, I didn't know how much time had passed. Suddenly a voice penetrated my thoughts, "Lucy?"

I sat up startled. _That's right, Natsu! _I had probably been in the bath for 20 minutes or so. _How long had he been there? Wait a minute, did he even leave? _I had clean forgotten about him by the time I woke up. I didn't even check whether he had really left, and I hadn't looked inside my fridge yet either.

"Lucy, are you alright in there?" Natsu called again.

I quickly got out of the bathtub, drained the water, and grabbed the towel on the rack. _Shit. I can't step out wearing only a towel. _I realized my predicament at that moment. Suddenly the door handle rattled and I wrapped the towel around myself right before the door swung open. _Better than nothing…!_

"Don't just barge in!" I shouted. I was flustered.

"Geez, you could have just said something if you were fine. I thought you fainted or drowned or something…" He said. I softened when I saw the concerned look on his face.

I walked out of the bathroom and opened the clothes drawer in my room, looking for something to wear. "Go out for a while." I said. He had sat himself down comfortable on my armchair, leaning back and putting his legs up on the coffee table in front.

"Why?"

"I'm going to change, that's why." Then he slowly got up and left.

_Ahhh…! _Internally I felt like a nervous wreck. _He saw me in nothing but a towel! And then acted like nothing happened. _At that point I willed myself to stay together, but right now my heart pounded. As I got my clothes out of the drawer, I realized, _he was so calm even though I was in nothing but a towel… Why do I feel like my sex appeal just got insulted…?_ I felt like my ego took a huge hit. But I soon got over it. Natsu seemed to be the dense type anyway.

I put on a hot pink tube and layered a green tank over it, and then I wore my light yellow pleated miniskirt and secured it with my brown belt, the one with all my keys. Then I went to the living room and found him lounging on my sofa. My heart had calmed now that I was fully clothed.

He sat up when he heard me coming down the stairs. "Done?" He asked.

I nodded and said, "Yep, let's go!" Then I headed towards the door.

"Wait!"

I turned back around and saw him digging through his khaki green backpack that was on the floor beside my sofa. I didn't notice that he dumped his bag there… But what was he looking for? I found my curiosity piqued.

My heart skipped a beat when he brought a small present out of his bag, gift-wrapped in pink with a red bow and all. _Is that… for me…? _

"Here!" He smiled widely as he handed it to me with two hands.

"Eh? You're giving me a present? Why so sudden?"

"The two of us, we're a team right?" He said energetically.

_Team…? Me and the famous Dragon Slayer? _"Me? Someone like me…"

"It's not 'someone like you', it's exactly _because _it's you that's why, right? Hurry up and open it!" He was all excited. _What could it be? _I pulled the bow loose and opened ripped open the paper, equally excited.

I opened the box and saw a neat row of wristbands, in all the colours of a rainbow, some plain and some striped.

"I don't know what your favourite colour is so I just bought all the colours!" He explained animatedly.

"You got me wristbands because we're a team…?" I couldn't understand what he was thinking _at all. _

"Yup! Hehe!" He ruffled his hair as he smiled, my heart fluttered like a butterfly's wings just then. "Oh! It's also the same as mine!" He raised his left wrist and showed me the black wristband around his wrist.

"Wait, so- you want us to be a team, like- like Team Shadow Gear?" I still couldn't believe it… My insides were screaming, _no way! Teaming up with Natsu the Salamander!? _

Then, his face fell and he said, "You don't want to…?"

"No! Of course not! Ah-! No, I mean, okay. Yes, yes, we'll be a tea-" Unexpectedly he enveloped me into a crushing hug, and my heartbeat sped up instantly.

"Yay! We'll be the best team!"

My face met his left chest just beside his scarf. Only my eyes peered over his shoulder as I was barefoot in my house and not in my usual 4 inches. His arms were warm, his body was warm. My mind stopped working when this warmth covered me and I realized that I liked this warmth.

When he released me, I felt a blush creeping up to my cheeks.

"Put one on, we've got a party to get to."

"Ok." I looked at the assortment, picked out one that was blue with a single green striped, the same green as my tank and the same blue as the straps of my tank, and slipped it on my right wrist.

"Let's go!" Natsu said as he walked towards the door. Before leaving, I hurriedly took the brown boots out of the shoebox and put them on. Remembering my mildly injured right foot I walked cautiously.

And then we walked to the guild together in the night, all along the way he excitedly talked about all sorts of missions we'd go on together. Some of them sounded like I would need a thousand lives but…

I don't know why, but somehow it felt like, as long as Natsu was there, I didn't feel afraid. Somewhere along the way, I had come to think of Natsu as an embodiment of hope…

* * *

When we got to the guild, it had just reached 8pm. When I stepped in I was greeted with another pleasant surprise. Party poppers went off as I stepped in and streamers hung down on the pillars.

"Congratulations, Lucy!" A large crowd of Fairy Tail mages erupted.

"What…?" I was baffled beyond words. There was a banner that hung from the second floor railings, across the entire dining hall that said 'Congratulations on your first mission, Lucy!' I understood when I saw that.

"Congratulations, Lu-chan!" Levy popped up from nowhere and hugged me. I gladly returned the hug. _These guys are throwing a party for me? _It felt like a dream.

Each table had a strawberry shortcake on it, but one table was cluttered with the same cake. It was a pretty cake with the Fairy Tail emblem decorated on the top.

Pretty soon the real party began. It was actually _also _a countdown party so Mira wasn't lying. Up until 12 midnight, we drank and made merry, played some games and laughed the night away. Mira performed on the stage with her guitar and sang several songs. Erza walked around in her cat costume and she ate most of the cakes.

And, it wouldn't be a Fairy Tail party without a few fights… is what I learnt. I avoided all the fights, but many of them ended up in a brawl several times. After a few minutes they would stop, tired, only to repeat this action again several minutes later or so. Natsu and Gray engaged each other a few times throughout the 4 hours.

Before I realized, it was 11:59:50 and we started the countdown to the New Year, X785.

"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! 0! Happy New Year!" We shouted the countdown together and when the glittery floating magic numbers on the stage reached zero, we all cheered simultaneously.

When the cheers died down, Master Makarov appeared from the second floor balcony railings and he looked down at us. "My Fairy Tail children, let this be a new year without destruction!"

"Master, you were here?" Mira said.

Master Makarov's jolly smile morphed into an impish smile, and then he bellowed, "Natsu! Gray! Erza! Lucy! Because of all the trouble you guys caused for Zentopia, I hereby send the 4 of you on a special mission! As a favour to my fellow Ten Wizard Saint friend, starting this year, you will enroll at Phantom Lord Academy and investigate the weird happenings over there!"

My jaw dropped. _Punishment… He actually gave us punishment for hijacking a ship, even though it was Zentopia's… Whyyyyyyy?_

But Master Makarov just smiled gleefully and said, "Happy New Year, kids!"

And the party carried on around me noisily like nothing happened.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**The guy she met at the shoe department is Totomaru! ^^ If you don't remember him in Fairy Tail, Google please! That's all I will say for now… Hehehe. **

**If you want to imagine what kind of shoes Lucy bought, the sandals were what she wore in the Lullaby arc and the boots can be seen in the Galuna Island arc and if I'm not wrong, in some other arcs too. **

**The punishment chapter will take a few months before I publish so... I guess the story is at a hiatus for now? Thanks for reading! & Happy New Year! ^^ **


	13. 10 Natsu's Feelings Bonus: Attraction

**~ Natsu's Attraction ~ **

**[To Lucy, of course!]**

_It's swaying… Oh… Somebody make it stop swaying…! Please make it stop…_

In this train cabin where I heard nothing but the sound of the train's wheels scratching against the metal train tracks beneath, I was on the brink of death.

…Or it just felt like that to me anyway. Bile constantly tried to make its way up, and my stomach churned and threatened to hurl, but I held it in, not wanting the entire cabin to smell like vomit for the entire journey. That, and also because I didn't want to face the wrath of Erza if I puked all over the cabin.

_Urgh… Somebody, anybody- save me! _I thought as I looked around. My mind was in a foggy state as it processed my vision. Gray that idiot, diagonally across me, leaned against the window and was sleeping. I'd draw on his face but I was too sick to move. Happy was snoozing on Gray's lap. Across from me, Erza had her arms folded and her eyes were shut. I didn't think for one moment that she was asleep for I knew she was just thinking about stuff while resting. For some reason she didn't want to punch me out.

Then I looked over to Lucy, who was seated beside me. She rested her elbow on the windowsill, and she supported her head on her hand as she looked out the window, lost in her own thoughts. The wind blew in lightly and her blonde hair fluttered slightly, sending the scent of strawberries- now faint because of the somewhat long mission we had- to my nose.

_Lucy huh… Lucy… …what? What was her last name again? Eh, did I forget? Ugh- _Puke threatened to come out again. _Forget it, I'll just ask her again later. _Thinking just didn't help when I was motion sick.

When the breeze lifted her hair once more, I noticed a heart-shaped earring dangling from her ear. I wasn't one to care about other people's image or fashion sense but I felt that the heart suited her. It suited her personality- kind and caring. Then I remembered how she had lent me her lap the first time I took a train with her. It was the first time I felt heartened on a train.

As I recalled this my eyes acted on their own and trailed down to her lap. I remembered how it felt last time when my head was in her lap. When she readjusted my position, for a moment I was like, _what is she doing? _But then her lap was soft and comfy, I didn't have any reason to protest.

Right now, they looked inviting, and I felt the strange impulse to lie down and borrow her lap again, but… _I didn't act on strange feelings. _And besides, acting on _this _particular strange feeling would be considered sexual harassment and label me as a pervert. I didn't want to be in the same category as that ice head.

_Strange feelings again eh… How many times have I felt strange ever since I met Lucy? _And yet these strange feelings weren't awkward or uncomfortable. On the contrary, they were rather… _how should I put it? _Heartwarming.

It was then that I decided: _I want Lucy to be my teammate._

* * *

_Finally _the swaying stopped. I jumped up from my seat and rushed off the train, cheering "YEAH! We're back!"

Erza stopped by the bakery while the rest of us went back to the guild.

"We're back!" Lucy yelled as we stepped in.

"Welcome back!" went Wendy, Cana, Elfman and Lisanna.

Macao and Wakaba were around as usual. It's like those old geezers never get out anymore. Reedus was painting and Mirajane was behind the bar. We walked up to Lisanna's table, and Lisanna casually asked, "Oh? It's just the 3 of you? Where's Erza?"

"She said she had something to do at the bakery." I replied and then I sat down beside her.

"The bakery is the man!" Elfman, who was also at the same table, shouted.

Then my dragon hearing picked up the soft sound of Lucy sighing, and my eyes followed her as she went to the bar. She looked tired and she sprawled across the bar top. I saw Mirajane talking to her, but didn't listen in on the conversation because Lisanna's voice got my attention again, "Oi, Natsu."

"Huh?" My eyes focused back on the white-haired girl beside me. I saw Happy had left the table for Wendy and Carla's table. Gray sat beside Elfman, opposite from me.

"I've been talking for like 2 minutes or so, are you listening to me? Am I talking to myself?" She pouted as she nagged at me.

"What?" I asked irritably.

Lisanna was like an annoying little sister. Even though we were very close during childhood, we never had feelings for each other after we grew up. Eventually, we both agreed to forget about those _(bleh) _husband and wife promises we made when we took care of Happy's egg together.

"I said!" She emphasized those 2 words. "We're gonna have a party tonight! It's the Countdown party! Because you're always _so_ at your own pace I bet you didn't remember it was 31st December!"

"Parties are manly!" Elfman exclaimed.

"Oh right!" I exclaimed. I had really forgotten.

"_AND _it's also going to be a party for Lucy for completing her first mission!" Lisanna continued.

"Yeap, it's the Fairy Tail tradition." Gray said.

Just then from the corner of my eye I saw Erza return and she sat two seats away from Lucy at the bar. Then I realized Erza must have gone to the bakery to order 50 cakes for Lucy's party- 49 for herself, of course.

"Natsu!" Lisanna's voice was raised again.

"What?" I replied.

"Dude, what are you thinking about? You keep spacing out." Gray said.

Upon reflex my eyes looked back to Lucy. Gray saw that and he turned around to follow my line of vision.

"Nothing." I said immediately to cover up my actions, but Gray didn't turn back. His torso still twisted and he still looked in that direction.

"Geez, something's weird about you today, Natsu." Lisanna said. "But anyway, nee-san told me to tell you guys not to say anything to Lucy about her party. She is only going to tell her it's a Countdown party."

"Oh, sure." I said.

"I say, Gray, stop staring at her!" Lisanna yelled.

Gray jumped as Lisanna yelled his name, as though he was a kid caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar, and he turned back around.

"I know Lucy is pretty but, for goodness' sake, you don't want to creep her out!" Lisanna scolded.

"I wasn't staring at her!" Gray retorted.

Lisanna glanced at Lucy and then she narrowed her eyes at Gray. "You…" She said. "You were staring at her boobs, weren't you?! You pervert!" Lisanna reached across the table and smacked Gray on the head. I suddenly felt annoyed with Gray.

"I wasn't!" Gray raised his voice and denied. He swatted Lisanna's hand away when she tried to hit him a second time.

"You were!" Lisanna argued back.

"That is not manly, Gray!" Elfman scolded as well.

"I said I wasn't!"

"Gray, you assho-" I stopped halfway when I saw Lucy get off her bar stool. _Was she leaving? What about the party tonight? _I got up to chase her.

"Where are you going, Natsu? Don't forget the party is at 8:00!" I heard Lisanna shout after me. I didn't look back but waved in acknowledgement as I ran after Lucy.

Just as Lucy walked out of the guild, I shouted "Wait, Lucy!" and she stopped.

"What is it?" She asked. When I reached her she continued walking.

I ignored the hint of annoyance in her voice and asked, "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"Oh. But you're coming back for the party later right?"

"Un." She nodded. "Just going home to nap first. I'm so tired." She yawned toward the end of that sentence.

"You sure? Won't you like, accidentally oversleep or something?" _We can't have the star missing her own party. _

"Eh… What time is the party?"

"8:00." He said. I briefly wondered if she would mind if I came to her house, but then I just asked, "How about I come by at 7:00 to wake you up?" I heard from Elfman, who always complained about Evergreen, that girls took really long to get ready for parties. So I decided on 7pm. _An hour should be enough right?_

"Yeah, okay." She said. Without having to sniff, I already smelled the scent of strawberries emitting from this two-storey house. Immediately, I knew we had reached her apartment. She entered and when she took off her shoes, slowly unwinding her laces (it looked troublesome), I slipped off my sandals and stepped in. I instantly realized _this place is why Lucy smells like strawberries._

"What do you think you are doing?" Lucy asked.

"Oh! Ojamashimasu!" I had forgotten my manners as I was too absorbed in this strawberry-scented environment. Then I walked around and looked around her living room. The walls, the fireplace and the sofa… for some reason, they all gave off a very 'Lucy' feeling. The sofa was soft and it bounced when I sat down. Then, my stomach reminded me that I was hungry, so I asked, "Lucy! Do you have food?"

She was still standing at the doorway, spacing out like an idiot. _She's such a weirdo._ "What do you take my house for?" She asked. _So many questions…_

I just stared at her, waiting for her to bring out the food. Then she sighed and answered, "Check the fridge in the kitchen. I'm going upstairs to sleep. Let yourself out when you're done." _Yes! Food! _

She dropped her shopping bags beside the sofa before going upstairs. I got up and went into the kitchen. I opened her fridge and rummaged through it.

"Natsu!" I was startled by her yelling. "Don't clean out my fridge okay!"

"Ok!" I replied. _What did she take me for? _

There was only milk, jam, butter, juice, cheese and stuff like that in Lucy's fridge. Otherwise it would be chocolate or fruits or yoghurt. I frowned as I closed it, disappointed that she didn't have any _real _food. After looking at the contents of her fridge I put my hunger aside for a while and decided to explore her house instead.

There's only the kitchen, the living room and a storeroom on the first floor, so I went up to the second floor. There was no corridor or any doors, the stairs simply led directly into Lucy's room.

I walked around for a while. Her bedroom had _a lot _of stuff! I eventually came to her bed, which was by the window. Lucy was bundled up in her blanket. Her body moved slightly, in time to her breathing.

For some reason, I sat cross-legged on the floor beside her bed, and I gently put my arms on her bed and rested my head on my arms, watching her sleep. She slept like a baby.

But she was definitely not helpless like one. If anything, she was always strong.

I thought about the past few days. Even when she cried that night on Galuna Island as I carried her, she wasn't weak. She was bearing the pain of sacrificing a nakama, and that was not weak at all.

And then her feet. I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I thought about how she tried to hide her foot injury from us. From when Erza had to support her out of the tunnel to when that stranger in that shoe section helped her out… She didn't want us to worry.

_Lucy, you weirdo. _

Even though it had only been a few days, she had more Fairy Tail spirit in her than any other Fairy Tail wizard I knew, except maybe myself.

As I continued to watch her, I realized that _Lisanna was right. _Although stray blonde strands trailed all over, they could not obscure the prettiness of her face.

That made my thoughts wander to Gray, who had been staring at Lucy just now. A competitive feeling rose up within me, it was stronger than rivalry. I couldn't quite understand it; it was like I was worrying that Gray would snatch Lucy away from me. _I really should ask her to be my teammate soon, _I thought to myself as I gazed at her cute sleeping face.

_Alright. _I stood up with newfound determination. I decided to ask her when I came back later. At the same time, I had an idea. I needed to head to Magnolia Town's shopping center for that though. So I left.

* * *

I found what I was looking for at the shopping center and I left the place with a gift box in my backpack and a new black wristband around my left wrist at around 6:30pm. Before that I had gone back home to get my backpack, but it was still pretty early and I wondered where I should go. My stomach rumbled again and I was reminded of the hunger I had put aside when I was at Lucy's house. Thinking of her house, I recalled her horribly-stocked fridge. _To the grocer it is then. _

I stuffed everything into my backpack and it was 6:55pm when I got to Lucy's house. I let myself in and dumped my backpack on the floor. Then I got out all the meat and coal that I had bought from the grocer's and brought them to the kitchen. I stuffed the meat in her fridge and I put the bag of coal beside her cooking stove. _There, now she'll have fire to- wait a minute. She doesn't eat fire. _That fact momentarily slipped my mind again.

_Oh well, _I shrugged and then I went upstairs. When I got there and didn't see her anywhere I started to worry. But in the next second, my nose caught the overwhelming smell of strawberries and I realized she was in the bathroom. _Was I too early? _I looked at her clock. It said 7:08.

_Hmm… I'll just wait here then. _I sat on the armchair in her room. It was large and comfy and I stared into thin air as I waited. It felt like forever as I waited, the clock now said 7:29. _Elfman was right. _

_Maybe she fell asleep in there? _I got up from the armchair and walked to the door. "Lucy?" I called.

There was no response, but I heard the splashing of water, so I called again, "Lucy, are you alright in there?"

_Did she fall asleep in there? Or maybe she fainted? Wait, then won't she drown? _With this train of thought I panicked and I grabbed the door handle. When I swung the door open, I saw her standing in the middle of the bathroom.

"Don't just barge in!" She shouted. The first thought that came to my head was: _She's alright… _Relief set in.

"Geez, you could have just said something if you were fine. I thought you fainted or drowned or something…" I replied in my defense. Then I noticed she was only in a towel and my eyes unintentionally went to her chest- I swear, it wasn't on purpose, they were just… _huge. _I knew why Gray was staring now. But I wasn't like Gray, so I didn't stare.

She walked forward and I automatically stepped back so she could exit the bathroom. As she was digging through her drawers, I sat myself down on the armchair again, leaning back and putting my feet up on the coffee table. As a guy, I couldn't help but notice, _damn, she had a good figure. _

"Go out for a while." Her voice resounded emotionlessly.

"Why?" _Oh no, was she angry? _

"I'm going to change, that's why."

_Ohhh… _My brain drew the connections and I understood. I felt a little ashamed of myself for not realizing I was greatly invading her space. _She's in a towel, you idiot, _I scolded myself. _But then again she didn't seem to mind…_

Nevertheless, I went to the living room and lay down on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. _How long will she take? _I thought about Elfman's words again. But this time it only seemed like a few minutes before I heard her coming down the stairs, so I sat up. "Done?" I asked.

She nodded and said, "Yep, let's go!" Then she walked towards the door.

"Wait!" _This is probably a good time, _I decided.I leaped off the sofa and rummaged through my backpack on the floor to find the pink present.

I never felt this uncertain before. But I just acted naturally and held the present out to her. "Here!" I said.

"Eh? You're giving me a present? Why so sudden?" _More questions. _

_How should I answer her? _"The two of us, we're a team right?" I started off.

She hesitated and then said, "Me? Someone like me…"

"It's not 'someone like you', it's exactly _because _it's you that's why, right? Hurry up and open it!" I impatiently interrupted her before she could go on. _She doesn't see herself clearly. _

I watched excitedly as she pulled the bow loose and tore the wrapping paper. She seemed almost as excited as I was. _She likes presents huh? _

She opened the box and saw the colourful wristbands inside. I felt the need to explain so I said, "I don't know what your favourite colour is so I just bought all the colours!"

She was wordless as she looked at the wristbands. It made my heart thump in nervousness. _What does she think? _"You got me wristbands because we're a team…?" She said after a while.

"Yup! Hehe!" I grinned and ruffled my hair nervously. I hadn't felt this nervous ever since Igneel gave me a test when I was six. Back then, I was worried I wouldn't meet his expectations. But right now, I just really wanted her to be my partner.

"Oh! It's also the same as mine!" I showed her the black wristband around my wrist when I remembered I had gotten myself one too- to show that we're teammates.

"Wait, so- you want us to be a team, like- like Team Shadow Gear?" She kept asking questions and her expression didn't give away anything. Until now she hadn't showed any signs of agreeing; I was starting to worry. _What if I overestimated myself? _

_Maybe she… _"You don't want to…?" I asked warily.

"No! Of course not!" She exclaimed and my heart sank to my stomach. But then she quickly fixed her sentence, "Ah-! No, I mean, okay." _Were my ears playing tricks on me?_ "Yes, yes, we'll be a tea-" I hugged my new partner, out of happiness. _Yes! She said yes! _

"Yay! We'll be the best team!" I exclaimed elatedly as I squeezed her tight. Awhile later, when I let her go, her cheeks were pink. _Why are your cheeks pink? Lucy, you weirdo. _

"Put one on," I said. "We've got a party to get to."

"Ok." She replied and she picked out one of the many and put it on.

"Let's go!" I headed for the door. I slipped on my sandals and waited as I watched her take her brown boots out from the shopping bag. _Girls… … _

* * *

We strolled to the guild together under the moonlight.

"Oooh, let's do a mission where we can infiltrate some rich dude's mansion! Then I can see what a rich person's house is like! And hopefully even fight one or two of its mega powerful guards!"

"Geez… Only you would think of such things."

Lucy didn't seem to be taking my words seriously, but I just continued. "Oh! Oh! And then, we could help Erza bust up a dark guild or two. She seems to be getting such requests from Jellal recently!"

"Jellal?"

"Uh-huh. I can't really explain who he is right now. It would take all night for me to tell you the whole story. But for now, just know that he's… like, Erza's boyfriend or something?" I said.

Her chocolate brown eyes widened slightly in surprise. Then the fact sank in and she laughed as she said, "What's with that? 'Boyfriend _or something'? _Either he is or he isn't right?"

I shook my head. "No, you don't understand. But you'll know when you see them together. They never said anything but everybody knows that they're together, or they will be soon anyway."

"Okay~"

"Oh right! Let's go on an S-class mission too!" I continued with my mental list of missions-I-want-to-do.

"What? But neither of us are S-class mages!" Lucy cried.

"Don't be such a coward, Lucy! We can just sneak around and grab one of the requests from the 2nd floor request board. Or I'll just ask Happy to grab one. He's less noticeable."

"No way! I don't want to be expelled!" She still refused and she folded her arms beneath her chest.

"Fine, fine. We'll get Erza to come along as well." I gave some leeway.

"That's more like it." She smiled as she said that.

"OH! I hope we find a mission where we can go to a parallel world too!"

"Where do you get all your ideas from?!" She shouted.

"Dunno." I shrugged. "They just seem interesting." _And also because the more outrageous they are, the more likely Igneel would notice and then hopefully he would show up before me… _I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. That type of heavy conversation I would reserve for another day. Tonight was a night of celebration; I didn't want to dampen the mood.

"Well, any missions you want to go on Lucy?" I realized I had only been talking about what _I _wanted to do and failed to ask what _she _wanted to do.

"Hmm… Not really. Anything is fine, as long as I get enough jewels to pay my rent each month."

"Is that so?"

"Mmhmm. 70 000 jewels." Lucy replied. Then she thought for a moment before saying, "But going to a parallel world sounds pretty awesome."

Her expression lit up when she said that and I smiled back. "I know right? Imagine all sorts of new flames I would be able to find!" I exclaimed.

She laughed at my statement, though I didn't see what was so funny. That lovely sound tinkled in the air, and I was spellbound by her laughter. I liked that sound.

When she stopped, she looked at me and said, "Natsu, you're such a weirdo!"

_You're _the weirdo, I thought, but strangely, those words couldn't leave my mouth. When I looked into her brown eyes, no words could come out.

I was captivated by those brown orbs which glimmered with light. And then I realized that Lisanna was wrong. _Lucy wasn't pretty. _

_She was beautiful. _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Hey! A bonus chapter for you guys while you wait for the next chapter Hope you like these chapters from Natsu's point of view. In this one I think I made his character softer… Or rather I just showed his soft and gentle side xD **

**Tell me what you think by leaving reviews! Hope you like it! **

**Thank you for reading & following this story! ^^ **


	14. Chapter 11: Fun-filled Days

**~ Fun-filled Days ~**

_2 January X785_

I awoke on the guild's dining hall floor with a slight headache. _What the heck…? _Why's everything trashed and why were so many people sleeping on the floor? It took a while for the memories to flood back to me. I remembered the dancing on the table tops and the extensive, non-stop downing of booze. In between there were fights, _lots _of fights. At one point I got caught up in a fight between Natsu, Gray and a slightly drunk Erza. It was a traumatic experience, and I'm happy to be alive.

At the end of last night, I was too tired to even walk home. After two consecutive nights of wild partying- the Countdown party _plus_ the New Year's party- I was all partied out, so I just crashed at the guild. That seemed to be the case for most of the members as well. And I think the same could be said for the dining hall too… It didn't seem like there were any tables with four legs left.

_Geez, this bunch of people really overdo things… _It didn't seem like I would be able to have my meals at Fairy Tail today. _Well! I guess I'll go home for breakfast then! _I got up from the floor and carefully stepped over the passed out bodies. When I got home, I went straight to the kitchen.

_What should I have today? Pancakes? _I thought to myself as I reached for the fridge. But the moment I opened my fridge, heaps of meat tumbled off the shelves!

_What the-!? Where did all this come from? _I was momentarily stunned and I couldn't understand. 1… 2… 3 seconds passed before a light bulb in my brain lit up – Natsu. _Who else could it have been? _

But wait, when did he do this? This morning? No, his unconscious body was still lying on the guild floor before I left. _Was it yesterday? _I had all my meals at the guild yesterday so I didn't open my fridge at all… _Or was it the day before yesterday, the first night he came to my house…? _

I pondered over this but couldn't come to a conclusion. Standing in front of the opened fridge door with the heaps of meat (in their packets) on the kitchen floor, I realized I had a bigger problem on my hands: _what will I do with all of this? Natsu, you idiot! Argh! _This amount could probably feed fifty people!

My blood was boiling and suddenly I didn't feel hungry for breakfast anymore. I brusquely shoved all the meat back in the fridge before slamming the door shut and marching out the kitchen. I was going to go back to the guild and drag Natsu here. On my way out, from the corner of my eye I noticed Natsu's green backpack _still _on my living room floor. _I'll remind him to take that back too. _

When I got to the guild house, about half of the people who were previously on the floor were gone. They probably went back to their own homes. Fortunately for me, the guy I was looking for was still dead asleep on the floor. "NATSU!" I shouted as I stomped over to him. "Natsu, get up!"

There was no response, so I kicked him in the side and shouted again, "GET UP!"

"Huh…?" This time he stirred and slurred.

"Get up and clean my fridge!" I was still fuming.

Upon hearing this he sat up, wide awake. "Fridge? Food?"

I rolled my eyes. _Typical Natsu. _"You stuffed my fridge with meat! I can understand if it's just a little, but _seriously? _That's got to be like 10kg of meat or something! I can't eat all that!"

"But your fridge was horribly stocked so I thought I'd help you stock it…" I softened when I realized that he was only trying to help. Looking at his uneasy expression, I felt guilty for being angry when he was only trying to be helpful.

So instead I said, "Then why don't you help me eat it?"

In a way, that was a peace offering, because I knew Natsu loved food. Besides, he was the one who bought all that anyway. Immediately his face lit up in a smile and he exclaimed "Alright!" in response. Then he got up and we headed towards my apartment.

"Wait!" A familiar voice cried just before we left the guild. We both turned around and saw Happy. "I'm coming too!" Happy yelled once more. And then the three of us went back to my house.

That morning Natsu alone finished half the meat in my fridge, I don't know why I was so worried before. Apparently he also bought a bag of coal which was sitting on the floor beside my cooking stove. I didn't notice it until he started cooking the meat. Happy and Natsu both stayed for lunch (although I didn't have fish for Happy) and by the end of lunch, my fridge was back to the way it was. I was so happy!

Until he refused to go home.

"Go home!" I yelled at him, who stubbornly sat on the armchair in my bedroom. It was 1:24pm now.

"Don't wanna!" He refused like a kid who didn't want to eat his green peas. I stood opposite him while Happy sat on the coffee table in between us, watching our exchange.

"Why not? There's nothing to do here!"

"Duno," He shrugged. With a child-like grin on his face, he smoothed his hands over the armrests of my armchair as he said, "I like your house! It's comfy! Right, Happy?"

"I duno, there's no fish here…" Happy disagreed.

"Yes, that's right! So go, go buy fish for Happy!" I said in a bid to chase them out of my house, but I soon realized that it wouldn't work.

"We normally fish for fish. But we already did that yesterday, so we're pretty much free today!"

"Aye! Lucy, entertain me, I'm bored!"

"Then go home! You're not supposed to stay at somebody else's house when they tell you to leave!" I replied angrily. Just then, Happy floated up and left his spot in the middle of Natsu and me. _What is this cat doing? _I observed him for a brief second before Natsu got my attention again.

"Woooo~ I just thought of something real good, Happy! Let's stay here and play all day!" Natsu exclaimed.

"What! No! Go home!" I sensed this potential threat to my privacy for the rest of the day and started to worry.

"Wow! Natsu, come take a look at this! What _is _this?" Happy's voice called from a corner of my room. I whipped round to see what he had poked his nose in to. _To my horror, it was my underwear drawer. _

"Don't just go through my stuff like that!" At this point, Natsu had already stood up and was making his way over. I frantically ran over and shoved the drawer shut before he could see anything.

"Just get out already!" I yelled once more.

"But we don't have anything else to do or anywhere else to go!" Natsu said.

"Aye!"

"There isn't anything for you here either, so just go home!" I argued.

"Sure there is."

Then came Happy's voice again before I could retort Natsu, "Wow! This weird thing is blue like me!" My eyes darted to the cat who had once again managed to wander off without me noticing.

_That's-! _"What are you- Put that back!" I hurried over to the cat that held up my blue bra. I snatched the piece of clothing back and stashed it deep within my laundry basket. "Stop touching my stuff!" I yelled at him. Honestly, if he weren't a cat I would have Lucy-kicked him to the next town. But he didn't even know what a bra was. He was merely curious, and did not have any perverted intentions unlike a certain Golden Bull.

_Oh yeah! _Thinking of Zodiacs reminded me of Sagittarius. I hadn't made a contract with him yet! _Hehehe, these guys are in luck! _"You guys want some entertainment right?"

"Aye!" "Yeah!"

"Shall I show you? How a contract between Celestial wizard and Spirit is formed?"

* * *

Now standing in the middle of the living room, I pointed the golden key straight before me. We had moved to the living room because I knew the 12 Zodiacs had pretty large physiques and Sagittarius would be rather squished in my bedroom if I were to summon him there.

I shouted the command. "I am the one who connects the way to the Celestial Spirit world! Now, O Spirit, answer my call and pass through the gate! Open, a door to the Archer! Sagittarius!"

Wind started up around my feet and magic power surrounded me before Sagittarius appeared. He was a centaur with medieval-style clothes on his human torso. He had a giant quiver on his back and a large bow in one hand. As if just being one of the 12 Zodiacs wasn't grand enough, his towering height made him all the more magnificent.

"Moshi, moshi." He saluted. "Sagittarius, at your service."

"Uwaahhh… Look, Natsu, it's a giant man-horse!" Happy cried.

"Yeah! I'm looking!" Natsu responded. He and Happy were seated on my couch.

Ignoring the audience, I stated directly, "I want to form a contract with you."

"Oooh~ What will it be? Blood contract?" "Magic binding spell?" Happy and Natsu speculated.

"Very well. I promise to always protect you, my new owner. I will come whenever you call." Sagittarius bowed but his head was still above mine.

I lowered my head too when he did, matching his manners. He seemed prim and proper, unlike Loke who was a flirt, or Taurus who was a pervert.

"Thank you. I will also do the same." I smiled at him who saluted back before fading away in a mist of golden glitter, returning to the Celestial World.

"…That's it?" Natsu said lackadaisically.

I looked back to those two; the both of them had a disappointed and subdued look on their faces.

"Yeah, of course. What else did you expect?" I replied.

"How boring…" Happy mumbled.

"What's with you… Don't say that after camping all day in somebody else's house! Besides, show's over! Now hurry up and get lost!"

"She sure is cold-hearted huh…" Natsu said.

"Aye!"

"Cold-hearted?" My eyebrow twitched at this comment. "I've already entertained you guys long enough and even showed you how I form a contract, so can you guys leave now?"

"Hey! Show us all your other key guys!" Natsu exclaimed, unashamedly disregarding my words.

"Aye! How many Spirits do you have contracts with?" Happy asked.

I folded my arms and tapped my foot on the floor impatiently. _How can I make them leave? _I thought for awhile and then I tried reasoning with them, "I can't summon them all because my magic will deplete really fast. But if I show you all my keys will you guys promise to leave afterwards?"

Natsu and Happy looked at each other, and then Natsu shrugged and said, "Ok." _Yes! _

So I got out my key ring and presented it to them. "I have 8 golden keys and 7 silver keys, total of 15 units."

"Oooooo~" The both of them went.

"You've already seen Gemini, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn and Leo… I have Aries, who's a ram, and Cancer who is a crab-"

"A crab?!" Happy exclaimed.

"Sounds yummy!" Natsu shouted in succession.

"…Celestial Spirits are not food!" I yelled. I quickly continued and wrapped up the presentation, "And then there's Virgo! That's all! Now go home!"

"Virgo… She's like a maid right?" Natsu said.

"Oh? Seems like you _do _at least know something about the 12 Zodiacs. But Virgo is a maiden, not a maid." I corrected him.

"No, I'm pretty sure she's like your maid or something." Natsu replied with a slightly confused look on his face.

"No, she's not- argh, whatever! Just leave already!" I pointed to the door.

"Come on." Natsu said as he stood up. Happy also got up at the same time. _Finally! _

"Bye~!" I waved delightedly as they walked to the door.

At that moment, Natsu walked back up to me. "What are you talking about? You're coming with us too." Without any time to react, he grabbed my wrist and suddenly I was running along the paved streets of Magnolia with him.

"Natsu, where are we going?" I shouted.

"To the guild! Let's go on a mission!"

"Aye!"

* * *

_12 February X785 _

_Dear Mama, _

_I just got back from an adventure in Edolas with Natsu and the rest of Fairy Tail. Just a while ago, I discovered something. Remember I told you previously, about the night I strolled to the guild with Natsu to the Countdown party and he talked about all sorts of missions he wanted to go on? Coincidentally or not, all the missions and adventures we've gone on up till today fit the preposterous description of those jobs Natsu mentioned. _

_When Natsu said that he wanted to infiltrate a rich man's mansion, I immediately thought of Heartfilia Konzern. For a moment I felt gloomy, but when Natsu kept bringing up his outrageous ideas for missions, I managed to laugh away the sadness. Yet in the end, we really did go on such a mission. After we saved Macao from a Vulcan's Take Over magic up at Mt. Hakobe, we went on that mission where we infiltrated the Everlue mansion. _

_After that, we took down Eisenwald together with Erza and Gray. It was another one of those requests Erza got from Jellal. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet this Jellal guy, who's supposedly Erza's love interest, because only the four of us were involved. _

_We also got a chance to revisit Galuna Island on an S-class mission. I really thought I was gonna die then… And finally, we had gone to a parallel world – Edolas. We had really done everything Natsu wanted. _

_And yet, somehow, despite having done all that, I am still behind on my rent for February. I was supposed to pay on the 1__st__. Fortunately, the landlady gave me until the end of the month to pay up. And "school" at Phantom Lord Academy doesn't start until April, so I still have time to go on missions and get my rent. I'll have to start saving up for those months when I'm at Phantom Lord Academy too… _

_I'm still a rookie and I have much to learn about the world of wizards, but everything around me is fascinating and every day is filled with fun because of Fairy Tail. If I'm not on a mission, I spend my day at the guild with the other guild members. Everyone over there is like one big family! It kind of reminds me of Ms Supetto and _

_Basaa! _The sound of my window sliding open startled me and I scrambled to cover my letter with a book before I turned to look at the intruder. I simmered with anger as I watched the pink-haired dragon slayer climb through the opening. He crawled over my pink quilted bed and his sandals swiped over the pink covers as he moved to stand on the floor.

"Use the damn door!" I yelled even though I was already more or less used to it. One day when he had decided to drop by, he saw that my window was open. _He never used the door ever since… _

Unfazed by my shouting, he merely answered matter-of-factly, "But the window's open."

"…" I didn't have anything to say to this. He wouldn't understand my reasoning anyway; Natsu's logic was on a whole other level. In fact, I wasn't sure if one could call it logic.

"What are you doing?" When he began walking over, I panicked. I swiftly opened my drawer, swept my book (and the letter beneath it) in, and closed it abruptly.

"Nothing much!" I said. "So? Why are you here?" It was already night time.

"You're being weird again, Lucy." He said. Then he went back to my bed and sat down on it cross legged. Thankfully, he had no intention of pushing further for answers.

I refused to acknowledge that comment and simply raised an eyebrow at him, which told him that he had unintentionally bypassed my question again. He was prone to do that; he went at his own pace, and he seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish sometimes.

"Mirajane said something I couldn't understand just now." He answered, his eyebrows furrowing slightly, clearly displaying his bothered feelings.

"Oh. What is it?"

"She was worried and she mumbled something about not being able to find her heart-shaped cookie cutters. So then I told her to use the star-shaped cookie cutters or something. But then she gasped and looked all mortified, saying that using star-shaped cutters for the day after tomorrow would be like Gray wearing 10 layers of clothes or Erza not eating strawberry shortcake. Why is that? And what's so special about the day after tomorrow?"

"What's today's date?" Even though I asked, I picked up the calendar on my desk and started counting the days I'd missed when we were in Edolas. _7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12… _

"It's… the 11th? Or 12th? What does it matter?" Natsu said.

_It was 12__th__ Feb today… which meant the day after tomorrow would be Valentine's Day! _"Ohmygosh!" I squealed upon realizing this. _2 more days to Valentine's! _

"What? What is it?" He got up from my bed and rushed over.

I looked up at him from my seat at the desk and exclaimed, "It's Valentine's Day in 2 days!"

"Valentine's Day…" His forehead creased for a while as he tried to recall what event was that. "Oh! You mean the day where I get lots of chocolates? Whew~~ I can't wait!"

And all of a sudden, Natsu was excited about some event he couldn't even remember the date of. _Is food all he ever thinks about? _"But I still don't see why Mirajane couldn't just use the star-shaped moulds." Natsu abruptly stated.

"Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love and affection, so heart-shaped cookies would be more suitable than star-shaped cookies." I attempted to explain it to him.

"A cookie is still a cookie, doesn't matter what shape it is, I'll still eat it. I'll eat whatever people give me on Valentine's Day, because they're all always so yummy!" I resisted the urge to face palm at his comment. _Oh well, _it was expected that Natsu didn't care about these sort of things anyway.

I gave up trying to make him understand. Instead I realized what he had said earlier, about getting lots of chocolates on Valentine's. "Do you usually get lots of chocolates on Valentine's Day?" I was curious. Were these friendship chocolates or _honmei_ chocolates? _Could Natsu actually be… really popular amongst girls…?_

"Well, yeah! Magnolia is really into Valentine's Day. Random people walk around the streets giving out free chocolate on that day! And Fairy Tail's Valentine's Day celebration is special!"

_So they weren't honmei chocolate… _"How does Fairy Tail celebrate Valentine's?" I inquired.

Instead of telling me, Natsu simply said, "You'll have to see for yourself on the 14th! Mirajane does a great job!"

"Mirajane organizes the _whole _thing all by herself?" My voice was raised towards the end of my sentence, conveying my amazement.

"Yeah! Or sometimes Elfman or Lisanna helps. She's going to bake cookies tomorrow. And probably make the chocolates too, I think. I hope she'll still do them even if she can't find the heart-shaped cutters…" He looked serious as he said that last line, evidently slightly worried that there wouldn't be any cookies for his stomach on Valentine's Day.

And then an idea crossed my mind! "Can I help her bake the Valentine's Day goodies tomorrow?" I asked eagerly.

"Oh yeah! If we turn up to help her bake then she'll _have _to make them! Great idea, Lucy!" _No, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind, Natsu… _But I just let it slide anyway.

* * *

Early the next day, the two of us helped Mirajane out in the Fairy Tail kitchen.

"Natsu! You're getting flour all over the place!" I yelled in dismay. We both stood over one of the two enormous island counters that were in the middle of the kitchen. He was holding a sieve over the bowl, carelessly shaking it. The sieve was much larger than the bowl below and flour sprinkled all over the surrounding rather than into the bowl.

"Here, use this instead." I swapped the small bowl for a larger one. After that I proceeded to mix the butter and sugar together in another large mixing bowl.

Mirajane occupied us with these simpler tasks as she finished up the rest of the necessary preparations. As I mixed, I watched her adjust the temperatures in the four ovens… Measure out exact amounts of various ingredients and lay them out on the island where Natsu and I were… Take out all the different baking equipment we would need and place them on the other island…

"Mix it until it's light and creamy, Lucy!" Mirajane reminded me as she swiftly glided across the kitchen for the fifth time or so to bring out the last of the baking equipment from one of the cupboards. She was so familiar with this kitchen.

"How many servings are we baking?" I asked her. Before answering me, Mirajane took out several bars of chocolate from one of the fridges- Fairy Tail had 4 fridges in its kitchen- and started chopping them into fine slices. She worked opposite from Natsu and me at the same island counter.

In her usual cheery fashion, she spoke, "400 cookies, 200 truffles and 200 cups of tiramisu!"

"What!" I nearly dropped the mixing bowl. "And we're not going to use a magic beater?" I looked around for that machine but did not see it out on either of the two island counters.

"Of course not! It's Valentine's Day! That means all of my sweets will be 100% handmade!"

Just like that, I had even more respect for the beautiful Mirajane Strauss than I already had. Already, a mild ache was creeping its way into my right arm; I was tired from mixing so I paused. Setting the mixing bowl down on the counter, I looked over to see how Natsu was doing.

It was like he was at _war _with the flour or something. Seriously, the white stuff went everywhere _but _into the bowl. It was all over the countertop, some of it on the floor, some of it dusted over his black vest, and I even saw hints of it on his beloved scarf… All this while he had a look of serious concentration on his face. _This guy was hopeless. _

"Natsu, you're getting the flour everywhere…"

"Aw, damn! Really?" He paused to take a look at his surroundings.

"Yeah," I walked up to him and started brushing the flour off his clothes. "It's all over you!"

_Pasha! _Without warning, a photograph was taken. The sound of the camera shutter flickering came from the kitchen's entrance. When I looked there, I saw Lisanna standing in the doorway, with a small rectangular camera held up to her eye. The camera had a small sphere of lacrima where the flash emitted from.

"Oh hey, Lisanna." Natsu greeted her nonchalantly.

"Wow, how rare for you to be _making _the food instead of eating it. I just thought I should document this ground-breaking moment." Lisanna remarked cheekily as she brought down the camera from her eye. "But you really can't do anything other than eat and fight, can you?"

Natsu scowled and retorted, "Why would I need to be able to do anything else?"

"Hey, hey, don't stop sieving. Lucy too, keep mixing." Mirajane interjected the conversation. "You too, Lisanna. If you're free you might as well help out."

"Hehe! No thanks, nee-san! I'm just hovering around to snap a few photos for Valentine's Day here and there."

"Hmm…" Mirajane seemed thoughtful for a moment. Then she said, "Okay! I have more than enough hands anyway!" _How were 3 people 'more than enough' to bake 400 cookies, 200 truffles and 200 cups of tiramisu…? _That just proved that Mirajane was really used to doing all this. Just as she finished her words, she also finished slicing the 15 bars of chocolate. Next she went to the stove and started boiling some cream.

"Hey, Natsu, let's swap. You do the mixing." He had more arm strength than me anyway.

"Ok." He easily complied and we switched positions before beginning our tasks again.

Lisanna continued moving between the kitchen and elsewhere (where other preparations were going on) to take photos.

Shortly after, somebody else (that was not Lisanna) stepped into the kitchen. I looked up from my sieving to see that it was the Re-quip mage, Erza.

"Hi, Erza!" I merrily greeted her.

"I- I…" The sight of a stuttering Erza caught my attention. She even seemed vaguely troubled and shiftily avoided direct eye contact with me. _This was unusual. _

"What's up, Erza?" I prompted her to speak up. There was nothing she couldn't tell us anyway.

"I want to- teach me… Mira, teach me how to make chocolate…" She bashfully requested. I was slightly surprised when I heard this. Natsu seemed to be surprised too as he looked up from mixing the 3rd batch of cookie mix.

Mira paused her task at the stove and went up to Erza. She started bombarding the swordswoman with questions, "What kind of chocolate? Is it for Jellal? Is it _honmei_ chocolate this time?" Her questioning was relentless. My ears pricked up at the mention of 'Jellal'.

For a brief moment, Erza appeared to be cornered by Mirajane's questions. But Erza would have none of it. Her right eyebrow twitched before she burst out, shouting her demand, "Just teach me how to make Valentine's Day sweets!"

"It's alright~" sang the white-haired mage. "I already know it's for Jellal anyway." Then she ushered Erza over to the island counter where Natsu and I were at. Opposite from the two of us, Mira showed Erza how to make the cookie mix.

Once Mira saw that Erza got the hang of it, Mira said "Later I'll show all of you how to cut the shape and stuff." Then she resumed her previous job at the stove.

Just as I was wondering whether I would finally see this Jellal person tomorrow, Lisanna reappeared at the doorway for a fleeting moment to snap another shot before going off again. That blinding flash that came without warning was the only indication that she had ever come by.

* * *

Time flew by and soon it was mid-afternoon. We had been in the kitchen for half a day and things were progressing smoothly. _How could it not when Mirajane was there to guide us? _

I was not done with the amount of tiramisu mix we needed, but Mirajane reassigned me to cookie cutting duty. And right now, the 3 of us gathered around the island counter, watching how Mirajane cut the cookie dough.

"First, you scatter the flour all over." Even though Mirajane said this… As a result of Natsu's initial attempt at sieving flour, the countertop was already a floury mess so Mirajane didn't toss anymore flour over the surface.

"Then you roll the dough flat… Use these cookie cutters, like this," She demonstrated as she spoke. "And then transfer them to the baking tray here. I'll control the oven, so just tell me whenever you get two trays full."

The 3 of us got to work straightaway. Mirajane observed and corrected us for a moment before walking away. She was pouring the truffle mixture into shallow glass dishes over by the second island counter. Deep seriousness written all over her face as she did so. Erza emitted a similar aura of deep concentration.

I worked on the dough before me, lightly pressing Mirajane's heart-shaped cookie cutter into it. (Looks like she found them in the end) At that moment, flour flew at me from the left.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. My head snapped up to find the source and I realized that that flour had come from Natsu.

Flour was flying all over his station. _Again. _

"What are you doing? Stop that!" I yelled.

"What? Mira said to scatter the flour all over."

"Yeah, but that's- What you're doing is just-" I struggled to find a way to make him understand. In the end I gave up and sighed. "Just don't get it all over me." _Guess we'll just clean up the kitchen at the end of the day. _

"Okay." Yet, as soon as Natsu said that, more flour came at me and the entire left side of my blue and white sleeveless collared top became covered in the white substance.

"Natsu!"

"Hahahaha!" _Wait a second, was he…? Is he doing this on purpose? _I saw a playful glint in his eyes which confirmed my suspicion. I decided to play along.

"Why you…" I swiped the counter surface before him, effectively sweeping the flour off the counter and onto his black waistcoat and grey-white knee-length pants.

"Hey!" He protested. But he soon retaliated. Grabbing a handful of flour from the bag itself, he threw it at me. While I ducked, it didn't stop the flour from falling on my hair and on parts of my face. Reflexively I flicked my hair around to shake off whatever flour I could. Although it must have been quite a sight because…

"Hahahahaha!" Natsu would not stop laughing at me.

"Natsu, stop messing around." Mirajane spoke sternly.

But this time, _I_ wanted my revenge. While he was still busy laughing, I seized the opportunity and grabbed a fistful of flour from the bag too. I hurled it at Natsu and the flour hit him directly on his cheek, jaw and neck area. _Good, now he had a patch of white on his face too. _

"Lucy…" Mirajane said my name warningly.

Compliantly, I went back to cutting out another heart shape from the dough. But Natsu just _had _to provoke me again. He threw another bout of flour at me. So I flung more flour back at him, but this time he dodged! _Darn it! _

"Missed me!" He haughtily taunted.

"Stay right there!" I ordered as I grabbed another fistful of flour and went after him.

He saw I was coming for him and he retreated towards Erza's side of the island. Naturally I gave chase and when I came close, I tossed the flour in my hand at him, only to miss again… _and hit Erza…! _

_Shit. _

Natsu, who was quick thinking when it came to things like Erza's wrath, retreated back to our side of the island instantly.

The flour had nothing on Erza's armour top, but her head snapped up and she glared at me – the one who had just broken her deep concentration. Her intense glare bore into my face and I instinctively backed away. When she took a step forward, I took another step back.

"Lucy…" When she said my name I freaked and turned round to run but instead, I slammed right into Natsu and somehow I slipped – or he slipped – or we _both _slipped on the flour-ridden floor, and we ended up in a very compromising position.

_Pasha! _The now-familiar sound of Lisanna's camera shutter came once more.

"Whoa, what happened in here?" Surprise was evident in Lisanna's voice.

"My, my," Mirajane commented.

On the floury kitchen floor, Natsu's entire body collapsed onto me and our legs were tangled with each other's. When he got up mid-way, he paused, seemingly realizing the position we were in as well, and things fell into a trance.

His forearms on either side of my head supported his weight as he kneeled over me. Momentarily his black eyes met mine and everything in my brain just vanished in that second. My heart fluttered and my heart rate sped up. I could feel my cheeks turning pink.

_Pasha! _Lisanna took another photo. I wanted to tell her to stop, but the words were caught at the tip of my tongue. I was completely immobilized.

"Natsu," Erza's call snapped Natsu out of his trance. "Get up."

Erza's hand grasped around Natsu's biceps and she supported him up. Mirajane held out a hand to me and I took it.

"I told you both to stop fooling around." Mirajane said.

I could only listen to her wordlessly. My mind was still trying to process what had just happened. _What was that? What was that feeling in my chest just now? _There weren't any words to explain it.

"Just look at you two," Mirajane continued her lecture. "What a mess! Go and clean yourselves up right this instant! Then come back here quickly and finish up!"

I nodded in silence and left the kitchen with Natsu. _Pasha!_ Lisanna's camera sounded again from behind.

* * *

I awoke the next morning feeling extra cheery. Knowing that it was Valentine's Day, it didn't take much for me to get out of bed. I quickly got ready, putting on my pink spaghetti strapped top and my navy-black pleated miniskirt. Not forgetting my keys, I bounded down my steps two at a time. Putting on my rose-coloured lace-up sandals at lightning speed, I left my house at 9:20am.

I walked quickly towards the guild, excited to get there as soon as possible to celebrate Valentine's Day with everyone. But along the way, it felt like people were staring at me and I unavoidably slowed down. By then, I was approaching the general store.

When I walked pass the general store, something on its newsstands outside caught my eye. Upon closer inspection, I realized that Natsu and I were on the cover page of the new issue of the weekly Sorcerer magazine. Shocked, I snatched up a copy in my hands and studied the cover photo.

The photo showed the both of us lying on the floor with Natsu hovering above me, our eyes locked. I recognized it as the photo Lisanna took from yesterday. At the bottom of the cover, large words in bold read 'Fairy Tail's Newest Up-and-coming Couple!' and in smaller words it read '6 page spread _with photos _inside!'

_What the-?! LISANNA…! _I scrunched up the magazine in my grip and stomped off to the guild.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Yay! Chapter 11 is finally done! This chapter is 1.5 times longer than my previous ones… Without A/N, it's 5765 words? But I take so long to update so I guess it's alright! Also, I know the front part of this chapter is like a filler, but I swear I had to write it for the sake of continuity. **

**School's already started for a month now so I'm pretty busy… Sorry for the long wait! Also really sorry that it's still not super NaLu yet! But I really just want to take it slow and develop their love story, so please bear with me! **

**Just a few other points about my story… **

**I know I might have gotten Lucy's apartment layout wrong, but I kind of like it this way anw! **

**Honmei chocolate is chocolate that girls give guys whom they have romantic feelings for… The other would be giri chocolate, which is friendship chocolate. **

**Oh btw, I have no idea whether it's possible to make that much stuff in 1 day with only 4 ovens. Just assume Mirajane is a superwoman and that the 4 ovens are freaking huge! :D **

**Gajeel & Juvia are not in FT yet ^^ otherwise I would have had Juvia pop in the kitchen and make cookies for Gray too… :(**

**Once again, thank you for reading & for all the support! ^^ Please leave me your reviews! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	15. Chapter 12 (Part I): Valentine's Day

**~ Valentine's Day (Part I) ~**

I walked speedily to the guild house; I needed to straighten things out with Lisanna. _How could she just give those pictures away like that? _I mean, when taken out of context, that picture on the cover looked really wrong. And when published in the Sorcerer magazine, my public image would be gone! Or at least it would change.

_God, how was I going to face Natsu? How was I going to face anybody for that matter? _"Ugh…" I groaned and buried my face in my hands, slapping the magazine in my face at the same time.

"What's wrong?" I jumped when I heard Natsu's voice.

"Natsu!" I looked up and saw my pink haired partner.

"What's up, Lucy? Why're you standing in the middle of nowhere?"

"I, um… No reason?" I didn't know what to say. "I was just going to the guild."

"Weirdo," Natsu said and he flashed his signature grin. _It seems like he hasn't seen the magazine. _

"Hey, what's that?" He pointed to the magazine I held in my hand. _Crap. _

_Do I hide it? Or should I just show it to him? Hmm… what would he think anyway? _I was curious to know, so I just handed it over. "It's the Valentine's Day special issue of the weekly Sorcerer. Have you seen it? I'm gonna _kill_ Lisanna…"

His eyes met the cover page and I saw them widen a fraction. I waited nervously for him to say something. _Did he even know what the word 'couple' meant? _

"This is…" He said as he flipped the magazine open to the article with the photo spread. Realizing that I hadn't looked inside myself, I paid attention to the pages as he flipped through it.

It was photo after photo of Natsu and me: _Natsu and I talking to each other. Me brushing flour off Natsu's vest. Natsu and I leaving the kitchen together (that was after our flour battle and we were just going to clean up!)._ The image on the cover (the one where we were both on the floor) was blown up across the next two pages.

Then there were two pages of _interviews-?!_ At this point, I snatched the magazine out of Natsu's hands. "Hey!" Natsu protested, but I ignored him. He could just read over my shoulder or something. More importantly, I wanted to know: _who the hell did they interview? _I skimmed the two pages and saw the names: Mirajane, Lisanna, Master Makarov, Levy, Cana, Happy, Gray and- _Erza?! Not her too! _

I wanted to read what Erza had told Sorcerer, but Natsu's reading voice made it a little hard for me to read, "…They go everywhere together; they're practically inseparable…"

"Don't read it out loud! It's weird!" I yelped. He shut up, but my eyes searched for whoever's interview he was reading. Then I spotted that sentence under 'Lisanna'. _That girl… I'm definitely gonna kill her! _

Finally, I flipped to the last page of the article. What I saw left me in awe and speechless. It was a photograph of me fully focused on mixing the tiramisu mix, completely unaware that Natsu was looking at me…

If I was an outsider and I didn't know better, I really would think that Natsu was gazing lovingly at his girlfriend who was really cute while in serious concentration. I hate to admit it but Lisanna was a _damn good_ photographer! At the bottom of the page, printed over the image in some fancy Valentine-ish cursive font, there was a quote that read, 'His eyes never leave her; he's always looking out for her. – Erza Scarlet'

At that juncture I remembered that Natsu was reading over my shoulder and I froze, afraid to even breathe. _What did Natsu think of this? _He doesn't _really _like me, does he? I mean, not in the _like _like kind of way. I didn't want things to get awkward between us.

"Give me that." Natsu wrenched the magazine out of my hands. _Okay, so he wasn't fazed by this at all. _

He flipped back to the page with the short interviews and started to read. I was stumped and just watched him read in silence. I didn't really know how to react to this whole situation. My first thought was to confront Lisanna about this, but now I wasn't so sure.

The silence grew too loud and I felt the need to say something. "What are we going to do?" I asked.

"Why do all these people think that we're a couple? What's wrong with having a female partner?" _Was he angry? _

"So… let's just explain to everybody that we're just friends?" I suggested. _I guess he wasn't angry, just slightly ticked off like I was. _

Then he closed the magazine and looked at me. His eyes were distant, as though he was thinking of something. "Yeah, we probably should huh?"

"What do you mean?" _Was there any other option? It's not like we're together. _

"I was thinking…" His face broke into his usual bright smile again and he said, "Revenge!"

* * *

The minute we stepped into the guild, all eyes fell upon us and people started murmuring. It was to be expected; if I were them right now, I would be talking about Natsu and me too for we were wearing matching couple's outfit, courtesy of Virgo **[A/N: from Oracion Seis/Nirvana arc!]**, and we were holding hands.

The interior of the guild looked different today because of Valentine's Day. Each table had a pristine white tablecloth draped over it and a vase of roses on top. A long buffet table had been set up on one side of the dining area; Mirajane's delicious spread was laid out on it. The stage was decorated with roses, hearts and glitter. The atmosphere was different too because couples were seated together while those who were single grouped together in clusters.

Alzack sat with Bisca, Jet and Droy were fighting to sit with Levy (who looked troubled and disinterested, if you ask me), and with some pushing by Bickslow, Evergreen sat with Elfman. Carla and Happy were together, which made Wendy join Gray and Erza at another table. Speaking of Erza, was Jellal going to show up?

But I would worry over that issue later. Now it was time to get back at everyone who had something to do with that article in the Sorcerer magazine! I could hear people whispering and speculating: _"They're already a couple? Since when?!" "When did they get together?" "No way! Our dense Natsu is in a relationship?!" _

"Hey, everyone!" Natsu shouted to get everybody's attention. Then he raised our intertwined hands up in the air and announced, "Lucy and I just wanted to say that: we're a couple!"

Most people roared and cheered in celebration while others were speechless and could only stare blankly.

Cana was so shocked that she choked on her beer. _Serves her right for always chugging it down straight from the barrel. And serves her right for her comment in the Sorcerer magazine! What, "Natsu always goes to Lucy's house. Why else would a guy constantly visit a girl's home? I mean, what else would he do there?" Seriously! What was she trying to insinuate with that remark? _

When the cheering died down, Mirajane scuttled over excitedly. Erza and Gray, our usual teammates, were right behind her. Levy, my bookworm buddy, escaped from Jet and Droy and scurried towards Natsu and me as well. They all surrounded us and started chattering.

"Congrats! I'm so happy for you two!" Mirajane squealed in delight.

"Congratulations, Lu-chan~!" Levy exclaimed. "Treat her well, Natsu!"

"You ass, why didn't you say so?" The half-naked Gray boisterously ambushed Natsu from behind, locking his arm around Natsu's neck in a friendly stranglehold.

"Yeah, when did you two get together?" Erza asked. Erza was the calmest out of everyone.

Natsu let go of my hand to pry Gray's arm from around him. As he did so, Natsu replied, "What are you talking about? We were together ever since the New Year!"

"Yeah!" I complemented Natsu's lie. "You guys just didn't notice it! We thought it was pretty obvious already; we didn't think we had to spell it out for you guys."

"Until we saw that article in the magazine. Say what? _'Up-and-coming'_ couple? Who wrote that thing?" Natsu said with fake astonishment in his voice.

"Hehe!" Mirajane let out a small laugh that made us understand that it was actually _her _who leaked those photos to the magazine, not Lisanna. _Of course! How could I have not realized that? _Mirajane was _always _trying to play matchmaker for people in Fairy Tail.

Then Mirajane spoke again, "Now that I've successfully brought Natsu and Lucy together or at least successfully made them admit it… When are you and Jellal going to get together, Erza?" Now everyone's attention was on Erza.

"Don't you still have brownies to check on or something?" Erza retorted. She wasn't going to give away info about her relationship so easily.

Mirajane pouted even though she was probably already used to being brushed off by Erza. "No, Lisanna is checking on them for me." She replied. Then she switched her attention back to Natsu and me. "Since you two are a couple, will you be participating in the Closest Couple Contest this year?"

_There it was – the first step to completing our "mission". _Our plan for revenge was simple. We would pretend to be a couple, join the annual Closest Couple Contest, win the awesome prize (according to Natsu), and then announce that actually _we weren't a couple! I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out! _Only couples were allowed to participate in the Closest Couple Contest, you see.

But we couldn't seem too overeager about participating in that competition, otherwise Mirajane might suspect something. So we agreed to announce our "relationship" and wait for Mirajane to take the bait herself.

"Hmm… I don't know. We've only been going out for a month or so," I feigned indifference and hesitation.

"Why not? I think you guys have a shot!" Levy encouraged.

"Yeah, you guys really _are _together all the time anyway…" Gray said. _Were we really so inseparable? _

"Natsu, should we?" I looked over to him.

"Just go for it already!" Erza commanded decisively, leaving no room for discussion.

"Alright, let's go! I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed.

_Step one of mission: get into the Closest Couple Contest – complete! _

* * *

"Welcome, everyone, to the Closest Couple Contest X785! I, Mirajane, will be your host for today! Yay~!" Cheers erupted from the crowd with Mirajane's opening line.

It was around 6pm in the evening and the Closest Couple Contest was about to begin. The guild house was open to outsiders for today so the dining area was filled with both Fairy Tail members and fans of Fairy Tail from outside. _If so many people were here, at the end of this whole thing, we should effectively be able to clear our names… _

"The prize for this year is a romantic getaway to Akane Resort for two _and, _of course,a whole month's supply of my special brownies – brownies that can be any flavour you want!" Everybody cheered again. _I see why Natsu wanted to win now. He would be able to eat all the flaming brownies he wants for a whole month if we won. _

Then Mirajane continued, "Let's introduce this year's contestants! This year we have 3 couples!" The participants were all seated on stage behind a long table, ready to be introduced to the crowd.

"First up, we have… Alzack and Bisca!" Mirajane gestured towards them and the audience cheered enthusiastically. The pair of snipers waved from their spot on stage in response.

"Next, we have… Elfman and Evergreen!"

"Otoko! [Man!]" Elfman gave a shout that resembled a war cry. The crowd responded with more shouts and applause.

"And finally… we have Natsu and Lucy!" A deafening cheer erupted as soon as Mirajane announced our names. With so much support from the audience, Natsu and I would surely win if there was an audience vote component._ And all this popularity was thanks to a certain magazine article! Hehehe! _

_What were the components in this contest anyway? Oh crap, if they asked us to kiss what would we do? _Suddenly I didn't think this was a very good idea anymore. But there was no backing out now.

"Now, I shall explain the sections of the contest this year!" Mirajane spoke into the microphone that levitated on small wings. "There are two rounds this year: round one is a cake eating competition and round two is the couple's Q&A! One couple will be eliminated after each round. The last couple left standing will be the winner!"

Lisanna appeared from the kitchen with a levitating pushcart which had lots of cake on it. It followed her up on stage where she stopped beside our end of the table.

"Without any further ado, I shall explain round one! The rules of this round are simple! Each couple will have to finish 5 whole cakes in 30 minutes unless someone drops out before time's up!" When Mirajane said that, large digits appeared above the stage. It was a large clock that was set to count down from 30:00.

Mirajane continued with her explanation, "One person eats and one person feeds. The couples will not be allowed to switch roles halfway through the round. Also, each couple will have to hold hands for the entire round. If you let go before the round is finished, you will be disqualified! So make sure your hands are all on the table where everyone can see them!"

_That sounds easy enough. Natsu had a voracious appetite anyway. _I looked to him and he beamed, reading my thoughts and confidently reassuring me that he would be able to do it.

He held out his right hand to me, and I took it. The other two couples on stage also placed their interwoven hands on the table surface. Following which, Lisanna placed one fork and one cake before each couple. It was a full, round cake with lots of cream and strawberries decorating the top.

At the back of my head, I thought, _Erza would probably kick our asses at this game… Thankfully Jellal wasn't here and Erza wasn't participating with Jellal. _But I was still hoping to catch a glimpse of this Jellal. And didn't Erza bake cookies for him? _So where was he? _

"The first one to give up will be eliminated." Mirajane repeated; her voice brought me back from my thoughts. I picked up the fork with my right hand and got ready. "You may begin… now!"

Straightaway I poked the cake with the fork and shoved it into Natsu's mouth, which was already wide open. The crowd became rowdy and alive as they roared with cheers. I just kept repeating that action, over and over, stuffing Natsu's mouth full of cake. It got messy after a while and there was cream all around his mouth, but this wasn't the time to be worried about this kind of things!

"Otoko!" I heard Elfman bellow. My back was facing the other two couples so I couldn't exactly see what was going on. But I heard Evergreen yell back, "Shut up! It's hard to feed when you shout!"

Alzack and Bisca were on the other end so if they said anything, I couldn't hear it. The crowd also drowned out their voices.

Fifteen minutes into the round, Natsu had eaten 3 cakes, and so did Elfman. Alzack was halfway through his third cake. (I knew this because Mirajane would comment on the progress every now and then.) I fed Natsu more and more cake, absentmindedly wondering whether he would get sick or not. _He seemed fine so far… _

"Oh no! What's this?" Mirajane exclaimed. "It seems like Alzack is down!"

Upon hearing that, my hand which held the fork froze in mid-air. I turned to look and sure enough, Alzack's head was on the table, his eyes were spirals and he looked nearly as green as Bisca's hair. Bisca was visibly worried about Alzack.

Just then, I felt the fork jiggle and I whipped round in response. I was met with close up of Natsu's face. He had moved forward to put the cake into his mouth by himself. His dark eyes glimmered under the stage lights and for a moment I was stunned. Then I remembered that we were up on stage, in front of (possibly) the whole town, and so I snapped out of it.

Still, the sight of him greedily feasting on the cake from my fork – with cream all over his face – was unbelievably cute and I couldn't help but giggle.

"What?" Natsu released the fork and spoke.

"Nothing~!" I merrily replied.

And then all attention was reclaimed by Mirajane again. "Unfortunately, this means that the Alzack-Bisca pair is out!" There was a mixed response from the crowd; some 'aww'-ed and some cheered.

"But you two receive a consolation prize of matching couple T-shirts! Thank you for participating!" Mirajane cheerfully said as Bisca and Alzack walked off the stage, Bisca supporting the queasy Alzack. Lisanna followed after them and handed them the couple T-shirts.

_Step two of mission: win the Closest Couple Contest – in progress! _

_All we gotta do is win the next round!_

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Ok, so. I got carried away writing this whole Valentine's Day chapter so… the entire chapter actually has 6300+ words so… yeah, I split up the chapter! I duno, do you guys like long chapters? Or do you guys like short chapters? Let me know in the reviews? **

**Anyway, part 2 of 'Valentine's Day' will be out on the 14****th**** so it's not a very long wait! ^^ **

**Thank you for reading! Hope you liked this chapter! :D **


	16. Chapter 12 (Part II): Valentine's Day

**~ Valentine's Day (Part II) ~**

"Welcome back for round two, everybody!" Mirajane brightly greeted the audience which cheered wildly in response. There was a 5 minute break for the contestants to clean up and now we were back.

_This contest is actually kinda fun! _But I hadn't forgotten our main goal, of course. Natsu and I were in it to win it. There was only one round left and only Elfman and Evergreen stood in the way now.

"Round two is a test to show how well you know your partner!" Mirajane said. "Now I would like to invite the participants to shift your seats; Girls to my side and boys to the other!" We all complied and moved our seats accordingly.

During the break, the long table had been removed from the stage and the digital clock above was replaced by a large, flat lacrima screen. The screen was slim and directly above us. Unless we stood up and walked around, we wouldn't be able to see anything.

"For this round, I will ask 5 questions. The questions could be about anything, from your partner's birthday to the date when you first met each other. Audience, please do not prompt the contestants!"

_This _round would be more challenging for Natsu and me, the fake couple. But we did discuss it before we came here. After we changed into the couple outfits at my house, Natsu brought up this Q&A session that they often had for past Closest Couple Contests. I wouldn't say that we were going to get a 100% score, but we would at least be able to answer cliché questions that people always asked couples.

Lisanna got on stage and handed out magic pens and lacrima boards to us before she went off again. The lacrima boards were connected to the lacrima screen, so that the audience could see our answers.

"You have ten seconds to write down your answers, starting from after I ask the question! Everybody ready?" Mirajane asked.

All the contestants nodded.

"Okay! Now the first question is for the _males_: what are your girlfriends' body measurements?" _What? _

_What kind of question is this?! There's no way Natsu would know- Wait, he's writing?! _My thoughts stopped in its tracks. I saw that Elfman, beside Natsu, was also writing down his answer. The two of them put their pens down after they finished.

"Females, please pen down the right answer too!"

I distractedly scribbled down the 6 digits. My mind was in a frenzied state. Getting a single question wrong at all could put us at a disadvantage.

"Now, let's take a look at the answers, shall we?" Mirajane stepped forward and looked up at the huge screen. "Elfman wrote 86-58-86! And comparing it with Evergreen's answer, he's correct!" A loud cheer emerged from the audience.

When the cheering died down, Mirajane continued, "Natsu's answer is 88-58-87," My head snapped up when I heard this. "And it's the same as Lucy's answer!" _How on Earthland…? _The cheering drowned out my thoughts.

I looked towards Natsu and saw that he was looking in my direction too. I shot him a confused look but he just smiled back. _He's more observant than I thought… _

"Alright, next! It's a question for the females. Males, please write down the correct answer too. Question 2: What is your boyfriend's favourite food? You have ten seconds!"

_Hmm… Fire spaghetti? Fire float? Nope, it's gotta be… _I wrote down: fire. I looked over to Evergreen and saw that she had already finished writing.

"The first two questions seem too easy for our contestants. Let's look at the answers! Elfman's favourite food: Mirajane's Otoko ramen! Yay~ correct! It's the special ramen I make for my ototo!" Mirajane smiled and said. "And Lucy answered that Natsu's favourite food is fire! Correct!" Cheers erupted again from the audience.

_That was easy. 2 down, 3 to go. _

"The remaining 3 questions are to be answered by both persons of each couple!" Mirajane said. "Question 3: What is your favourite couple activity?"

_Easy! Natsu and I discussed this! _Without hesitation, I wrote down: cuddling on the couch.

"Time's up! Let's take a look at the answers! Wait, what's this?" There was surprise in Mirajane's voice and she looked dismayed. "Elfman wrote 'training in the forest' but Evergreen wrote 'flying in the forest'! Incorrect! You have to write the same words!"

The crowd didn't cheer but they clapped encouragingly. Evergreen gave Elfman a rather "passionate" glare.

"Moving on… Natsu wrote 'cuddling on the couch' and so did Lucy! Aww, how sweet~" Mirajane added her own comment behind. The audience cheered for us again.

_Now that they've fallen behind… 2 more questions to victory! _

"Second last question!" Mirajane called and the crowd immediately fell silent. "Where is the location of your first kiss?"

_Great! Another question we discussed. _I wrote down: under the rainbow sakura tree.

"It's already the 4th question! Are you all nervous for our couples? I sure am!" Mirajane made some small talk as we wrote. "Alright, they're done! Let's see now… Elfman and Evergreen both wrote 'in the forest'!" The crowd roared at another correct answer.

"As for Natsu and Lucy… They both wrote the same answer as well: under the rainbow sakura tree!" More cheers came from the audience. It really was a lively crowd!

"Alright! It's down to the last question! Currently Natsu and Lucy are leading by one correct answer! If there is a tie at the end we will ask _another _question, so not to worry!" Mirajane said. "The last question is a little bit different so you will have 30 seconds. Are you ready?"

I sat up in my seat and wielded my pen, my ears pricked up and ready for the final question.

"Question 5: what do you love about your partner?"

…_what? _

"You have 30 seconds! Write what you love about your partner first! Then write what you think your partner loves about you at the top right hand corner!"

I could only stare blankly at the lacrima board. I mean… what was I supposed to write? We weren't even a real couple!?

I glanced over to Evergreen who was writing furiously. Then I looked to Natsu, he seemed to be writing something too. But he could be writing _anything. _The chances of us getting both answers right were close to zero since we were just a fake couple.

"20 more seconds! Lucy looks like she's having a hard time! Well, it's to be expected since they're a relatively new couple after all!"

I looked back down at the lacrima board in my lap. _Two words. _I _just _needed to write _two words. _Even if we got it wrong, we would still be tied with Elfman and Evergreen; we would still have a chance to win. But if I didn't write anything down, people might suspect that Natsu and I weren't a real couple and we would risk being disqualified.

I wrecked my brain for a clue. _What should I write? _I looked around for inspiration but got nothing. Instead, realizing that that many pairs of eyes were staring at me kind of made me nervous such that even my heartbeat sped up.

_Calm down, Lucy, stay calm and think. _

"10 seconds more!" Mirajane exclaimed and the audience began chanting a countdown.

_Crap! Okay, Lucy, you can do this. _I closed my eyes, drowned out all the noise and pictured Natsu. _What do I like about him? What have I always noticed about him? What's his defining feature?_

Images of Natsu flooded my mind; Natsu's bright smile, Natsu's pink hair, Natsu's back, Natsu's flames… They all gave me the same feeling of hope, the same feeling of _warmth. _

"5 more seconds! Hurry up and write down your answers!"

I opened my eyes and wrote down: _his warmth. _And then I briefly thought about what he might like about me. _Hmm… my house, probably. _But that answer was not going to cut it.

"…3…2…" The audience echoed.

Flustered, I scribbled 'my eyes' at the corner of the board. I just randomly picked some feature that seemed a fitting answer to this question.

"…1…0!" The audience finished the countdown.

"Time's up! Pens down!" Mirajane's voice sounded. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief and put my pen down.

Having a full view of the answers on the screen, the crowd exploded in a bout of thunderous applause and ear-splitting cheers. _Were they cheering for Elfman and Evergreen… or for Natsu and me…? _

Mirajane had to shout into the microphone a little. "Elfman's answers: 'her womanliness' and 'my manliness'! Evergreen's answers: 'his manliness' and 'my womanliness'! Exactly the same! Wow!"

"But my, my! What do we have here? Natsu's answers: 'her eyes' and 'my warmth'!" _Ohmygod, what! This is… unbelievable… _"Lucy's answers: 'his warmth' and 'my eyes'! Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have a clear winner tonight! Give it up for Natsu and Lucy!" The audience applauded and cheered even louder.

_No way… No freaking way! _The fact that we won took a while to sink in before delight took over. I jumped up and ran to hug Natsu. I felt his arms encircle my waist and he spun me around, sharing the same joy as me. He stopped after a few rounds.

"Natsu, we won!" I squealed.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed happily. Then he lowered his voice such that only I could hear, "Step two of our mission, complete."

"Aww~ everybody look at the loving couple!" Mirajane reported.

_Crap, that's right. We were still on stage. _I immediately released my hold around Natsu's neck and he let go of me too. If we were trying to make people believe that we're NOT a couple, that really didn't help our image._ Wait a second. Participating in and winning a couple's competition didn't help either… _But it was too late now.

"Elfman and Evergreen will receive matching couple T-shirts as a consolation prize as well! Thank you for your participation!" Automatically, the crowd quietened down when Mirajane spoke. Elfman and Evergreen walked down stage and Lisanna handed them their prizes.

Then Mirajane exclaimed, "Now I shall present the prizes to our Closest Couple of the Year X785!" The crowd roared to life again as Natsu and I were ushered to the centre of the stage by Mirajane.

_Step three of mission: get the prize and announce that we're not a real couple – in progress! _

Lisanna got out another levitating pushcart from the kitchen. This one had a pyramid of brownies piled up on top. There was an envelope (probably containing tickets to Akane Resort) in Lisanna's hand too.

"A trip to Akane Resort for two and a month's supply of my special brownies – any flavour you like!" Mirajane reiterated the prizes when Lisanna reached centre stage.

"Mira, fire flavour please!" Natsu said.

Mirajane obliged right away and set the brownies ablaze in a special type of flame that wouldn't burn up the brownies.

"Uwaahh…" Natsu marvelled at the wondrous pyramid of flaming brownies. I could just see him drooling already.

"Thank you, Lisanna!" Mirajane retrieved the envelope of resort tickets from Lisanna and dismissed her. "Now! Before I hand over the prizes to you, please kiss in front of everybody to declare your love for each other!"

_HUH?! _

I gave Natsu a distressed look but then he mouthed 'trust me'. Before I could question any further, he swooped down and kissed me on the cheek! In that instant, my heart stopped.

_Did Natsu just-?! _I looked at him in pure bewilderment and felt a deep blush rush to my cheeks. The crowd was noisy again.

"Here! Congratulations!" Mirajane handed over the resort tickets to me.

"Ahe-hem!" Natsu abruptly grabbed the floating mike closer to him and cleared his throat. "I have something to say to everyone!" The audience quietened down once more.

"Actually… Lucy and I are not together at all!"

First, a commotion swept over the audience. The look on Mirajane's face was priceless! She was probably angry, but she was so shocked that she couldn't utter a word! Everybody else's faces were distorted in shock and one-of-a-kind as well. _SO worth the trouble! _

Then Natsu reemphasised himself, "Yep! Lucy and I are just friends!"

The upset audience burst out in roars and shouts of disapproval.

* * *

It was an hour later before the shouts of protests ceased and people finally calmed down. After explaining to them we only did this because of the Sorcerer magazine article, it seemed they finally understood that we _weren't _a couple but… they were still convinced about us being 'Fairy Tail's Newest Up-and-coming Couple'! _URGH! _

"Hey, cheer up." Natsu, who sat beside me, nudged me in the side and said. "At least we managed to fool everyone!"

"Yeahhh… I suppose." I said rather gloomily. Then I recalled the evening's events and smiled. "And the whole thing was kind of fun anyway."

Natsu and I were seated at a table with the usual gang, but right now, Erza and Gray were temporarily away. They went to the buffet table to get more food for our table.

"It's not so bad. People can say whatever they want. All that matters is that we know what's real to us. And… we'll always be best friends no matter what, right?"

His reassuring words made me smile. "Yeah," I said. "No matter what."

"_And _we got a whole month's supply of flaming brownies!" He exclaimed animatedly. "Luckily Mirajane didn't confiscate that from us." According to Mirajane, the flavour had already been cast, and the spell couldn't be undone.

"Hah! Yeah! Too bad about the resort tickets though, she gave them to Elfman and Evergreen." I said. "But luckily she didn't go all Satan Soul on us otherwise we'd be dead…" I shuddered at the thought of incurring _Mirajane's _wrath.

"_I _could have fought her."

"Really? You really want to go up against an angered Satan Soul?" I raised one eyebrow at him.

"When you put it like that…" Natsu seemed more tentative. "Okay, maybe not. It's one thing when our enemies mess with Fairy Tail, but it's another when we mess with Mirajane's ideal couples and matchmaking business."

"Glad you understand!" I said. "By the way, aren't those two taking a really long time?" I stood up from my seat and craned my neck to look for them through the crowd.

"Yeah. Aw man! What if they already ran out of food?" He anxiously stood up and looked towards the buffet table.

"Funny you should say that… considering _you're _the one who finished _half _the buffet table!" I reprimanded him.

"What? Mirajane's treats are really delicious!" He replied, eyes still searching the buffet table area for Erza or Gray, or maybe just searching for food. "Hey! Isn't that-!"

_Huh? _I turned to where he was looking at, and lo and behold! Near the buffet table, a guy with spiky blue hair and red markings above and under his right eye was approaching Erza!

"Is that Jellal?" I quickly asked Natsu.

"Uh-huh."

I watched as Erza ran into the kitchen and left Jellal standing there. But she soon came back out and in her hand was, unmistakably, a bag of cookies! She hurriedly walked back to Jellal but didn't stop there. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the exit. The both of them left the guild.

_Well! I guess they couldn't have gotten any privacy if they stayed here. _I was surprised, in a pleasant way, when I first found out that Erza had someone she liked. Watching Erza in love gave me a heart-warming feeling that warmed me to the tip of my toes.

"Why must Erza give cookies to Jellal?"

_Huh? _Then I realized that question came from Natsu. "What are you talking about? Weren't you the one who told me that Erza and Jellal were together?" I shot him a quizzical look.

"Yeah, but I mean… so what? Why does she have to specially make them for him? Can't she just take those on the buffet table?"

I groaned and slumped back into my seat. _This guy's sense of romance and idea of courtship were seriously skewed! _It surprises me how we even managed to win the whole Closest Couple Contest.

I sighed and then began my explanation (which he probably may not even understand anyway), "Because it's a way for Erza to show Jellal that she loves him! And remember I told you, that Valentine's Day is all about love and affection?"

"Ohhh…" _Did he get it? _"But doesn't that mean that all these years, random people on the street who've been giving me chocolates _also _love me?!" He grasped at his hair agitatedly, horror on his face as he imagined his assumption to be true.

"No, silly!" I laughed at his waywardness. "That doesn't really count. Erza's cookies are handmade. She put her feelings into them so they're _honmei _sweets!"

"Oh. I see." He calmly said and then sat back down. _Did he really get it this time? _His next sentences proved I was right to be doubtful, "No fair! I want _honmei _chocolate too! Lucy, make me some!"

I almost fell off my seat at this demand. And I swear I heard a few snickers from the people who were near us.

"No way! You only make them for the one you romantically love, Natsu!"

"But I want chocolates!"

"If you just want chocolates then don't ask me to make them! And don't ask me for _honmei _ones! Just get them from the buffet table!" I scolded him.

"But… I want chocolates that someone made especially for me…" He had a downcast expression and he stared down at the bare white tablecloth.

I was slightly dumbfounded by this because my heart went out to him at the sight of him all subdued. _I guess everybody wants to feel special and to feel loved._ Natsu was probably thinking of Igneel right now…

"Okay." I uttered softly. I knew his dragon hearing would pick up my sound. "I'll make some for you. But they're _giri _chocolates, not _honmei. _And I'll only make them tomorrow."

"Really?!" Natsu displayed his elation all over his face.

I was slightly embarrassed and I could feel tints of pink creeping to my cheeks, but I yelled back, "Yes, now shut up! I've never heard of someone shamelessly asking others to make them Valentine's chocolate before!"

"Woohoo!" Natsu jumped up and cheered. "Awesome! I _love _Valentine's Day! There're free goodies everywhere! And I won a pile of flaming brownies this year! Waahooo!"

"Shut up! And, stop dancing on the chair! Get down!" I reached up and yanked him down by his scarf; he obediently sat down again.

"I still can't believe we won that thing." I said as I watched the lively crowd mingle and mix. Though the cake round was pretty easy, and we kind of cheated by discussing all the answers beforehand. _No, wait, not all… _"Hey, how do you know my measurements?" I asked him when I realized I still didn't know how he knew the answer to that question.

"Huh?" Natsu scratched his head and answered with some difficulty, "I, err… have a really good eye?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, skeptical of what he just said. Granted, Natsu wasn't as perverted as Gray, but he was still a guy.

Suddenly the last photo from the Sorcerer magazine article flashed through my mind. _Has he always been watching me…? _Incredulously, I looked at him, not really knowing what to say.

Just then, Gray returned without food and Natsu complained, "Are your brains really made of ice or what? You couldn't even grab a cookie or something?"

"Shut up, you useless newt! Go get it yourself!"

"What did you call me, you worthless stripper?" Natsu stood up with such force such that his chair toppled over.

"Argh!" Gray growled and tackled Natsu. Instinctively I backed away.

_Great, now they're fighting and Erza is nowhere to be seen. _

_Hmm… _But as I watched them brawl around a thought came to me: _Natsu and I are best friends and best partners. _Even if he _was _always watching me, there's nothing wrong with that! It was nothing worth fussing over and people were probably just reading too much into it.

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Tsktsk, Lucy is slightly dense as well! But she'll realize her feelings for Natsu soon enough… **

**Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day, everybody~! How do you like this chapter? ^^ I had fun writing it! Even if it took me all day… but I had a short 2-day school holiday so it's ok! **

**Sorry to GaLe fans and Gruvia fans! I couldn't do GaLe and Gruvia because in my story, Gajeel and Juvia haven't come to Fairy Tail yet :( **

**And I kind of… made up lots of stuff about Elfman x Evergreen. Hope you guys don't find it too out of character or anything. I figured Elfman would be into things like training because it makes him more "manly" and Evergreen, being in the raijinshuu and all, would also be into training. So I made their favourite couple activity training in the forest. But Evergreen flies so… yeah, she wrote 'flying in the forest'. **

**But I welcome any feedback/criticism you guys have for me, just leave a review! **

**Lastly… do you guys want me to write a 'Natsu's Feelings' bonus chapter on this? Yeap, just PM me or leave a review… Or I might just get inspired and write one anyway. Could be a while though… getting less & less free time :( **

**Once again, thank you for reading/reviewing/favourite-ing/following! ^^ My next chapter might only be out in March though! **


	17. 12-I Natsu's Feelings Bonus: Confusion

**~ Natsu's Confusion (Part I) ~**

_I am so bored…!_

There was a serious air of silence in the kitchen. Nobody spoke a word for everybody was so focused on their own tasks, me included. But that didn't change the fact that I was bored.

All I'd done since morning was stare into a bowl and swish the whisk round and round and round… I didn't even need to put the ingredients into the bowl because Mirajane had already prepared all 12 bowls! She even lined them up on the counter such that all I had to do was grab one, mix it, put it in the fridge, and then start on another bowl. _It's so repetitive! How can Mirajane stand doing this every year? _And now, even _Erza _was here. _I don't understand. _Why would Erza want to do something as boring as this?

Not being able to withstand the mundaneness anymore, I took a break and looked up from the bowl. In the kitchen it was quiet, but I could hear buzzing coming from the dining area. It sounded like Elfman and a few other guys from Fairy Tail were decorating the place for Valentine's Day tomorrow.

I glanced at Mirajane, whose back faced the island counters as she stood by the stove. The mouth-watering smell of chocolate filled the air and it was heavenly. That might just be the only good thing about baking.

I looked down into the bowl in my hands again. It was already the 11th bowl but… I really didn't feel like continuing anymore. _Maybe I shouldn't have switched with Lucy…_ At that thought, I looked to my right where Lucy was.

_But then again, even though we swapped, she still ended up having to mix something else…_

I watched as she stirred the tiramisu mix. I wondered whether she was just as bored as I was. But with her brown eyes alit and gleaming, I realized, _she wasn't bored at all. _I knew that shine in her eyes. Those were the same eyes she had whenever she read a book or talked about her Spirits. And right now, I could tell that she was in her happy place.

_Pasha! _I didn't have to turn around to know that Lisanna was here again; I heard her footsteps and her camera's shutter. But she didn't stay after she got her photo.

_Sigh… Let's just get this mixing over and done with. _I sighed inwardly and resumed my whisking.

* * *

"Lucy, could you put that down and help with the cookies now?" Mirajane said as she went to the fridges and got out all the 12 bowls of cookie mix I had done that morning. Two by two, she laid them down on our island, where Erza, Lucy and I were gathered at. Erza got out the mix for her own batch as well.

Then Mirajane brought a weird cylinder thingy and some heart-shaped cookie cutters to the counter and began. _This part of baking seemed like it would be more fun than mixing. _I felt my inner fire starting up again.

"First, you scatter the flour all over." I paid attention to Mirajane's demonstration.

"Then you roll the dough flat…" The mix I had spent all morning on had become a firm substance and Mira was rolling it flat on the countertop using the weird shaped cylinder.

"Use these cookie cutters," She placed the metal heart-shaped tool on top of the flat dough and pressed down. "Like this." And then she swiftly repeated that action several more times. _That looks like fun! _

"And then transfer them to the baking tray here." She said as she picked up flat heart-shaped pieces of dough and placed them into the baking tray.

"I'll control the oven, so just tell me whenever you get two trays full."

_Alright, now it's my turn! _

"_First, you scatter the flour all over" right?_ I reached into the bag of flour and grabbed a fistful. Then I sprinkled it on every inch of surface on the countertop. I didn't think it was enough, so this time I got some flour with both hands and tossed it all over. I patted the surface and spread the flour until I couldn't see the counter surface anymore.

"Hey!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed. My head snapped up but my hands did not stop.

"What are you doing?" She yelled. "Stop that!"

I paused momentarily and replied, "What? Mira said to scatter the flour all over." And then I continued what I was doing before; _I _didn't see a problem. _Lucy and her weird reactions! _

"Yeah, but that's- What you're doing is just-" The display of emotions on Lucy's face as she struggled with her words was amusing. Eventually she sighed and said, "Just don't get it all over me."

"Okay." I said in response. Then a thought crept into my head, _I wonder if she'll make even funnier faces if I… Okay, angry Lucy is almost as scary as angry Erza, so I'd better not. _

… …

But I really wanted to know…

_Screw it. _

_Fire dragon's flour attack! _I deliberately slammed my hands down on the flour-covered counter surface such that the flour flew in her direction. Her entire left side became covered in flour… _and her face…!_

"Natsu!" She yelped.

_Oh my God, her face…! So picture-worthy I wished Lisanna were here to see this! _"Hahahaha!"

"Why you…" She played along and swiped the countertop of my area.

"Hey!" Now my bottom clothes were all stained white by the flour. _She won't get away with this! _

I seized a handful of flour from the bag and threw it at her. She squatted down in reflex but the flour continued to fall onto her hair and her face.

_Her expression… Hah! And the flour… Wait a minute, her face and the flour… It kind of makes her look like… A mutated Vulcan! Pfft-! _"Hahahahaha!" I burst into nonstop laughter.

"Natsu, stop messing around," Mirajane said. _Alright, alright, _I thought inwardly.

But I just could not stop laughing…!

_Oomph!_ Like a snowball but not as cold, flour hit me on my right jaw and instantly I was no longer laughing.

"Lucy…" The way Mirajane said Lucy's name made her resume cutting out heart-shaped dough pieces.

_But I was not done with her yet. _I grabbed more flour from the flour bag and flung it at Lucy. Quickly, but not quickly enough, she reacted but I dodged it in double quick time!

_Hah! _"Missed me!" I jeered at her.

"Stay right there!" She chased me with a new fistful of flour in her hand.

_As if I would do that! _Only an idiot would listen to that command. I ran around the island counter and she ran after me. When she got within range, she threw the flour at me but I darted out of the way… _and that attack hit Erza…! _

_Gulp! Retreat!_

In the blink of an eye, I was back on the other side of the island. Knowing Erza, she would probably go easy on Lucy. But if things got really bad, she might take it out on me! I couldn't tell how enraged Erza was, so I wasn't sure what her method of punishment would be this time.

I watched as Erza's dark purple eyes darkened to an almost-black and she approached Lucy. Lucy was cautious and she backed away with every step forward that Erza took. But when Erza said her name, she freaked and made for a hasty escape, bumping into me in the process.

It was so abrupt; I didn't know how it happened. Maybe the floor was slippery because of all the flour, or maybe Lucy was just being clumsy as usual… but somehow or another, we landed on the floor.

_Pasha! _came Lisanna's camera. "Whoa, what happened in here?" She said.

"My, my," Mirajane said.

I pushed against the floor with my forearms to lift myself up. But halfway I froze when I realized Lucy was beneath me.

_Bathump! _Immediately my heart rate quickened. I couldn't understand this phenomenon _at all. _

As if that wasn't puzzling enough, my eyes met hers – her chocolate brown mesmerizing eyes – and I was lost, _so helplessly lost in her eyes. _Everything else in the surrounding was blocked out, and all I could think about was… nothing, really. Nothing occupied my mind. It was like time stood still and there was nobody else in this kitchen.

I could hear her rapid heartbeat. Every beat resonated in my ears and was in sync with my own heart. It made me wonder, _does she feel the same too? _This utterly strange and inexplicably weird feeling – _does she feel what I feel? _

I didn't know how long we stayed in that position when Erza finally broke the trance. I was only able to come back to my senses because she called, "Natsu, get up." And subsequently, I felt a hand (which must be Erza's) grip my arm and pull me up.

Still in a slight trance, I heard Mirajane say, "I told you both to stop fooling around."

But I couldn't reply. She said more stuff but my brain processed nothing for all I could think of was: _what exactly was that? _

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to an empty house. Happy was nowhere to be seen. For a moment I couldn't comprehend, but then I remembered it was Valentine's Day! _He's probably already at the guild with Carla. I'll just go there myself then. _

I was making my way to the guild when I spotted Lucy standing in the middle of nowhere. She didn't notice me walking up to her as she slapped some magazine into her face. _Geez, she's doing weird things again. _

"What's wrong?" I asked when I eventually stood before her.

"Natsu!" She jumped, startled.

"What's up, Lucy? Why're you standing in the middle of nowhere?"

"I, um…" She hesitated. "No reason? I was just going to the guild."

I knew something was up. I mean, she totally had "bad news" written all over her face, but I figured I would just ask her again later. "Weirdo," I said. Then I noticed the magazine in her hand, "Hey, what's that?"

I knew Lucy well and I sensed her brief hesitation before she handed the magazine over to me. "It's the Valentine's Day special issue of the weekly Sorcerer. Have you seen it? I'm gonna _kill _Lisanna…"

_Whoa, _I thought to myself as I took in the cover page. Yesterday I was in such a trance that I didn't even notice that Lisanna took another photo!

The photo on the cover page was from yesterday when I got that strange feeling. Up till now I still hadn't figured out what it was, even after spending the whole of last night thinking until I had a headache! But my conclusion from last night was to shelve that thought and ponder over it another time. Too much thinking for one night really put me off.

I read the words 'Fairy Tail's Newest Up-and-coming Couple! 6 page spread _with photos _inside!' at the bottom of the page and then I opened the magazine to see how "bad" this was.

It was all photos of Lucy and me; photos that suggested something between Lucy and me was going on. "This is…" I was about to voice my queries but instead, the thoughts remained in my mind. _These people think that Lucy and I are together…? No. _These people just _think _that Lucy and I _should_ be together.

I turned the page and was met with a larger version of the cover page photo. _Oh geez, that looks even closer than I remembered it to be. _I began to feel self-conscious when I realized that Lucy was right beside me and she was looking at the magazine as well. Hastily I flipped the page again.

"Hey!" Before I could register what happened, I found the magazine being yanked out of my hands. _Did she want to continue looking at that blown up photo? Wait, hadn't she already seen all this? _

Initially that was what I thought, but I soon realized that neither of the above was the case. I looked over her shoulder and saw that it was two pages of interviews, which then made me realize that this was her first time looking at the inside of the magazine too.

Upon catching up with Lucy's trail of thought, I joined her in studying the interview pages. I wondered: _how did that reporter even get all this in such a short time? As in, didn't Lisanna just get these photos yesterday? _I was rather confused.

I read the words over Lucy's shoulder:

_**Do you think Natsu and Lucy would make a good couple?**_

_Mirajane: Yes! They suit each other so well I can't imagine them with anybody else! But they're so oblivious about their feelings that I'm constantly worried about them. I hope they will quickly realize it soon! _

What feelings? I'm not oblivious.

_Lisanna: Absolutely yeah! I've known Natsu since forever since we're childhood friends. I've never seen Natsu so attached to any other girl before…_

"…They go everywhere together; they're practically inseparable…" Without fully realizing it, I had begun to read aloud.

"Don't read it out loud!" Lucy yelled. "It's weird!"

And before I could read anymore, she turned the page and it took me awhile to recognize when that picture was taken. I was stunned and just… _stunned._ _Was that really what I looked like when I was watching Lucy yesterday? _

It was as though I was her boyfriend and that thought was strange. I didn't know how to explain it; it was just weird in a 'Lucy' sort of way. At the bottom of the page, there was a quote from Erza that said, 'His eyes never leave her; he's always looking out for her." _What's wrong with looking out for nakama? _

I realized that Lucy had turned to stone. "Give me that." I said, seizing the chance to get the magazine back. I wanted to read what more these people had to say about Lucy and me. I continued where I left off earlier:

_Master Makarov: Hmm… yes. I've watched Natsu grow since he was slightly shorter than my height. But he sees everybody in Fairy Tail as nakama, so I'm not sure when things between the two of them might make progress. In any case, they are together all the time so things are bound to happen sooner or later. _

_Levy: Yes, definitely! Lucy-chan and Natsu are best friends and great partners, but on top of that, they share an unbreakable bond. I know it just by watching their interaction with each other. It's not something you see every day; it's just one-of-a-kind! _

I think Jii-chan and Levy both think too much. They completely complicated the simple relationship I have with Lucy. But is this what everybody else thinks of us? Do they all think the same? I continued reading:

_Cana: HAH! Those two? I'm surprised they aren't ALREADY together. I mean, c'mon. Natsu always goes to Lucy's house. Why else would a guy constantly visit a girl's home? I mean, what else would he do there?_

Did Cana think I wouldn't read this? Does she _really_ think I'm that dense and I wouldn't know what she's implying? I suddenly felt a sense of indignation as I yelled in my head, _I go there to eat! To eat, I say!_ And it's not like I go there all the time. I mean, I wasn't there 3 days ago.

No, wait, I was. _Eh…_ I tried hard to recall when the last time I spent the day at my own house was but… I couldn't.

_Fine! _But it's not like I go there alone all the time. Sometimes Happy visits her too!

"What are we going to do?" Lucy's voice interrupted my thoughts.

But before replying her, I read Happy's short response: _Aye! They liiiiiike each other! _

"Why do all these people think that we're a couple?" I said. "What's wrong with having a female partner?" I couldn't fully comprehend even after reading through most of the interviews.

But one thing I understood was that I wasn't going to let them get away with this! The only question was: _how? _

"So… let's just explain to everybody that we're just friends?" Lucy said.

As I racked my brain for an idea, I absentmindedly replied, "Yeah, we probably should huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"I was thinking… revenge!" My face lit up as I thought of a brilliant idea! _I'm such a genius! _

* * *

"Then, I shall take my leave now, princess." Virgo, the maid– ahem! I meant, the maiden said and bowed before disappearing in a flurry of sparkles. She left a set of matching couple clothes from the Celestial World in Lucy's hands. Before she left, I noticed she had pink hair just like me. _But I'll bet mine is pinker! _

Now in Lucy's bedroom, Lucy and I had finished discussing the plan for our revenge and we were going to get ready. There was only one objective in our mission and that is to win the Closest Couple Contest. By winning, we would receive the awesome prize of a month's supply of flaming brownies! _Woohoo! _

"Here, go get changed." Lucy said as she handed me some clothes. I changed in her bathroom and came out promptly. I had swung Igneel's scarf around my neck too. I took a look in the mirror before I exited. The clothes were fashionable, and the colours were nice so I didn't have any complains about them.

Next it was Lucy's turn. While I waited, I sank into the marvellous armchair in her bedroom. The Valentine's Day special issue of the Sorcerer's magazine on the coffee table caught my eye and I picked it up for the second time again that day.

Lucy was taking her own sweet time again, so I put my feet up on the coffee table and flipped through the magazine. Remembering that I hadn't read Gray and Erza's interviews, I turned to that section again. My eyes went straight to the bottom of the right page.

_Gray: Yes, even if Lucy is too good for that idiot in many ways. But they're both weird and absolutely suitable for each other. I can't imagine the two of them with anybody else. _

_Erza: Of course! Lucy and Natsu together are like a skilled swordsman with a fine sword; they're a pair that supports and complements each other. Lucy gives him strength, and Natsu, in return, always takes care of her. His eyes never leave her; he's always looking out for her. _

I put down the magazine and sighed. Everybody seemed to have some form of misconception that sprouted from their own assumptions.

"Everything alright?" It was Lucy. _Since when had she emerged from the bathroom? _

Lucy in the outfit that matched mine was truly a sight for sore eyes. She wore a dress that matched my outfit, paired with sky blue stockings which had lace at the rim. Fresh from the bathroom, she had her golden hair down in its natural state.

"Natsu, you alright?" Her voice brought me back. I hadn't realized that I was staring.

"Yep, I'm fine. Just reading the magazine," I answered.

Seeing I was alright, she went over to her vanity table and started brushing her hair. At this point, with her turned away from me, I saw that her dress was alluringly backless. In my head, the hot-blooded male within me did a wolf-whistle. All at once, I felt a sense of pride at having Lucy as my nakama and girlfriend (even if it was just a fake thing).

"All those people think too much, don't you think? I briefly read through it when you were changing just now." Lucy commented on the mini interviews in the magazine as she pulled half of her hair into a ponytail at the side.

"Uh huh."

"But whatever. We'll prove them wrong today." She said, and then she quickly did the same for the other side of her hair, accenting her twin ponytails with star hair ties that matched her outfit.

"I can't wait to see their faces after they find out that we're fooling them." I flashed a smile.

Once Lucy was done with her preparations, we left for Fairy Tail.

* * *

Lucy and I stood a few steps from the guild building.

"Well, it's time." I said.

She nodded. "Let's give them a good show."

"I'm all fired up!" I exclaimed and began to march forward.

"Um…" Lucy, however, didn't move.

"What?" I backtracked to her. _Does she have a tummy ache? Did her feet hurt or something? _

"Um… Natsu, our plan was to act like a couple, right?"

"Uh huh. Why?" Unknowingly, I had completely missed her point.

"Natsu, are you sure you can do this? It has to be really convincing you know?"

"What… Oh!" I finally got what she meant. _Convincingly act like a couple. In other words, physical intimacy; she meant to hold her hand. _

In an exaggerated gesture, like an absolute gentleman (I believe), I held out my hand to her. That made her giggle and she took my hand. _I love how that sound tinkled in the air._

Enclosing my fingers around her petite hand, we made our way towards the guild, ready to give them a show of a lifetime.

_Little did I know that this little show would also fool me and bring me such great headache… _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Sorry, sorry, sorry, SORRY! A thousand 'sorry's, it's REALLY late, I know. But, I have NOT abandoned this story! I have simply been really, really occupied with school. My exams start next week and I wasn't going to post a chapter until the 29th of March at first… because I didn't have anything to post. But then I felt really bad so I managed to finish half the chapter and here it is! It's not much but I figured at least it's somethingfor you guys to read. **

**I don't like to rush when I'm writing, because if I rush, I can't quite create the right feelings or the 'fluffiness' or whatever you guys call it… But anyway, _this _time it's really late because I have exams. And I promise, the next half of this chapter WILL be out before April! Or latest by 2nd April! xD My exams end on the 28th, so yeah. **

**Anyway, back to the story! Question: What colour _are _Erza's eyes? I checked many images and many episodes of FT and… they're either black or purplish. So I THINK… they're dark purple? **

**I had some trouble retaining Natsu's character I feel… Hmm. What do you guys think? Is Natsu out of character here? Eeks, I hope not! Or at least not too OOC…? Oh, and coming up with the interviews were not that easy either. Please pardon me if they're out of character! And do tell me if they're severely OOC so I can improve… **

**Well! Hope you guys like this chapter! Thank you for reading & thank you so much to those who've favourite-ed this story/been following this story/been leaving reviews! ^^ **


	18. 12-II Natsu's Feelings Bonus: Confusion

**~ Natsu's Confusion (Part II) ~**

Hand in hand, Lucy and I walked into the guild. When we stepped in, it felt like everybody looked up. The place quietened down and people spoke with hushed voices. But still, they forget I'm a Dragon Slayer, and I can hear everything they say clearly.

"_Is that Natsu and Lucy?" "Are they holding hands?" _

"_Wait a second, are they together?" "Yeah, since when?!" _

"_They're already a couple? Since when?!" "When did they get together?" _

"_No way! Our dense Natsu is in a relationship?!" _

_Shit! I'm not dense! _I wanted to yell back, but I held back. By the end of today I would have gotten my revenge anyway.

_Alright everybody, eat your heart out. The show's on. _

"Hey, everyone!" I yelled. The place fell silent, even the hushed voices stopped. Then I raised our hands in the air and announced, "Lucy and I just wanted to say that: we're a couple!" _There. Now everybody will– _

"WHOOOOOOOOO!" The crowd lagged for a fraction of a second before it released a loud roar of celebration.

I was not expecting this reaction. I thought a commotion would arise, and then people would start doubting our act. But _whoa – I had no idea how popular we were as a couple! _

When the cheering died down, we were surrounded by our usual teammates, Erza and Gray, as well as Mirajane, Fairy Tail's resident matchmaker, and Levy, Lucy's best friend. Oh, I mean, best _girl _friend. _I'm _her best friend.

They all began chattering, ecstatic about Lucy and I being together.

"Congrats! I'm so happy for you two!" Mirajane squealed in delight.

"Congratulations, Lu-chan~!" Levy exclaimed. "Treat her well, Natsu!" _Pfft, of course I will… if this were real. But even so, I already do treat her well, as a best friend. _

Then Gray the pervert put his arm around my neck and yanked me towards him. "You ass, why didn't you say so?"

_You're the ass, _I thought but didn't manage to say because then Erza spoke, "Yeah, when did you two get together?"

Assface was strangling me and (even if I won't die from something like that) it was uncomfortable because I was in some awkward position with one hand still held by Lucy and being tugged in her direction.

"What are you talking about?" I said, as I let go of Lucy's hand and pried Gray's arm off of me. "We were together ever since the New Year!" I had a tone that said are-you-guys-all-idiots-or-something.

"Yeah!" Lucy chimed in. "You guys just didn't notice it! We thought it was pretty obvious already; we didn't think we had to spell it out for you guys." _Damn, we make a great team. _

"Until we saw that article in the magazine." Then I faked shock and disapproval. "Say what? '_Up-and-coming' _couple? Who wrote that thing?"

"Hehe!" Mirajane giggled gleefully yet slightly guiltily at the same time. _Oh… Right. Why didn't I realize it before? _Of course it was her who planned that article all along. And it was just nice that Lisanna happened to have taken such "nice" photos yesterday that were perfect for that article. _But this wasn't Mirajane's usual style of matchmaking though. _

… …_Of course! This must have been a partnership between Mirajane and Jii-chan. I wonder how much money he got from selling that info to the Sorcerer. That old geezer. _

_But nevermind. I'll be getting my revenge soon. _

"Now that I've successfully brought Natsu and Lucy together or at least successfully made them admit it…" Mirajane turned to Erza and continued, "When are you and Jellal going to get together, Erza?" _Wait a second, what about Lucy and me? _

Erza's expression went stern and I think maybe she's even slightly irritated. "Don't you still have brownies to check on or something?" She retorted.

Mirajane pouted and replied, "No, Lisanna is checking on them for me." While I was busy thinking about how to get into the Closest Couple Contest, Mirajane rendered all my thinking unnecessary. "Since you two are a couple, will you be participating in the Closest Couple Contest this year?"

_Yes! But no, I can't agree so easily. _She might suspect something. I look to Lucy, and then she took this one. "Hmm… I don't know. We've only been going out for a month or so…"

"Why not? I think you guys have a shot!" Levy said.

"Yeah, you guys really _are _together all the time anyway…" _Really? _Even _Gray _thinks so?

"Natsu, should we?" Lucy turned to me.

"Just go for it already!" Erza decided for us.

It felt like there's enough fake hesitation already, so I exclaimed, "Alright, let's go! I'm all fired up!"

* * *

After that announcement in the morning, I spent the whole afternoon pigging out on Mirajane's delicious treats from the buffet table and partying with the rest of Magnolia. Loads of people were at Fairy Tail today.

I'm sitting alone at a table (who knows where Gray went), eating my 10th cup of tiramisu as I looked around. Mirajane had gotten Magnolia's local band to play some music and the music was blasting in the guild. People were dancing all over the place and many were in pairs. Couples were everywhere. Not just Fairy Tail's couples like Alzack and Bisca, but common folk couples too.

It made me wonder. What's so great about being a couple? Being in love? What would _that _feel like? As in, I don't feel any different even though Lucy and I are a couple now? Absentmindedly I find myself looking at Lucy, dancing away with Levy right by the stage.

Is love really so wonderful that it deserves a holiday? Did whoever-it-is that created Valentine's Day come up with this idea because he was in love? Or was it because he was in love with the idea of love? That would be quite idiotic. But I'll have to thank him for creating Valentine's Day otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy so much free chocolate.

I scooped some more tiramisu up and was about to put the spoon in my mouth when Cana heaved her barrel of beer onto the table with a hefty thud. Then she climbed onto the table, hugged her legs around the barrel like it was a bolster, and took a huge swig.

I stare at her, wondering what she was doing. _Why isn't she partying with other people, like she usually does? _

"Hey, you," Cana spoke. She was in her usual semi-drunken state since she never gets fully drunk from drinking, just slightly if she really drank a lot. But even so, her mind was usually sober and she would still be coherent.

"What?" I replied with tiramisu in my mouth.

"Quit staring at her and just go over there already."

_What is she talking about? Staring at who? _"Go where?"

Cana rolled her eyes and then pointed, saying "There."

"To Lucy? Why would I–" _Oh, right. Because we're a couple. _"She wants to have some girl time with Levy." I quickly made that up on the spot.

"Pfft. How sad for you then." Cana said and then she tilted the barrel up and drank from it again.

"What about you? What are you doing? Shouldn't you be hanging out with other guys instead?"

Cana slammed the barrel back down on the table, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and said, "Ugh. Don't mention them. They're all a bunch of sissies. Drunk on the 4th mug and down by the 5th."

"One of your drinking competitions again? Go easy on them, Cana." I finish my tiramisu and move on to the plate of cookies and truffles.

"Why should I? Any guy who can't out-drink me can't go out with me. Or they can, but after a while I'll just toss them aside."

Not that I approve of what she does, switching guys as often as Lucy changes clothes, but who am I to stop her? She's allowed to do whatever she likes. And besides, many of those guys who go up to Cana have ill intentions anyway. Cana knows it. So long as no serious harm comes to my guildmate, I'm good.

Hmm… but why does she go out with such douchebags anyway? And then it hits me. _Maybe, just maybe… she's searching for love? _

"Okay, whatever you say. But I don't think there's any guy out there who can out-drink you." I said.

"Hah! You're probably right. But that doesn't mean I have to stop looking eh? Maybe if I really like someone I wouldn't mind if he couldn't drink."

"Seriously?" My ears pricked up at that statement. "Why?"

She put her barrel down again and said, "If I really like someone, everything else wouldn't matter of course. _Duh._" She says it like it's so obvious, but to me, it's not.

"Look at your lost face," Cana continued. _I have a lost face? _"Alright, let onee-san teach you about love. No, wait, what am I talking about? You have Lucy, don't you?"

"Huh?" Now she's really not making much sense. _Could she be drunk? _

"Well! Let's just say that falling in love with someone means all you can think of is that person and just thinking about him, or her, can make your heart beat faster."

"Make your heart beat faster when you think about them…?" I echoed. _Wait a minute… what about when you look into their eyes? _

All of a sudden, a vision of Lucy's glimmering brown eyes popped into my head and I felt my heart beat quicken. _WAIT! What– _

"Natsu!" That voice belonged to Lucy. I looked up to see her making her way towards my table, waving widely and smiling brightly. _Why can't my heartbeat slow down? _

"Oh, yay, she's back. Isn't that great, Natsu?" Cana commented.

"Natsu, it's almost time. We gotta go." Lucy said.

"Where?" I responded. For some reason, I couldn't really think straight.

"On stage! It's almost 6pm and the contest is about to start!"

"Oh." I said as I reached for a few more cookies from my plate.

But Lucy grabbed my hand and pulled me up from my seat! "Come on! Let's go! Seeya later, Cana!"

_Wait! My cookies…! _

As the distance between my cookies and me greatened, I saw Cana put some in her mouth. A blissful look emerged on her face as she chewed. Then, with her mouth half-full, she yelled, "Good luck!"

* * *

"Welcome, everyone, to the Closest Couple Contest X785! I, Mirajane, will be your host for today! Yay~!" The audience erupted into enthusiastic cheering in response to Mirajane's opening line.

The band had gotten off the stage and people stopped dancing. Instead, they sat all around the dining area and had their eyes on Mirajane and all the contestants on stage. Alzack and Bisca, Elfman and Evergreen, and Lucy and I were sitting behind a long table up on stage.

Mirajane then proceeded to tell everyone about the prizes for this year's Closest Couple Contest and the crowd cheered again. Then Mirajane continued, "Let's introduce this year's contestants! This year we have 3 couples!"

"First up, we have… Alzack and Bisca!" The crowd cheered for the gunner couple who waved back to everyone.

"Next, we have… Elfman and Evergreen!"

"Otoko!" Elfman shouted eagerly and the people responded with applause and cheering.

"And finally… we have Natsu and Lucy!" A nearly ear-splitting roar burst from the audience as soon as Mirajane introduced us. _Whoa, they really like us as a couple. _

After a while, when the cheering stopped, Mirajane spoke again. "Now, I shall explain the sections of the contest this year! There are two rounds this year: round one is a cake eating competition and round two is the couple's Q&A! One couple will be eliminated after each round. The last couple left standing will be the winner!"

In a timely fashion, Lisanna appeared from the kitchen with a pushcart that floated with its tiny wings. There was a _LOT _of cake on it. _Oh, awesome! Free flow of cake! _The pushcart followed her as she walked up the stage.

"Without any further ado, I shall explain round one! The rules of this round are simple! Each couple will have to finish 5 whole cakes in 30 minutes unless someone drops out before time's up!" When Mirajane explained, large digits reading '30:00' appeared overhead, above the stage. I realized it was a large clock that was going to countdown for the contest.

"One person eats and one person feeds. The couples will not be allowed to switch roles halfway through the round." Mirajane resumed explaining. "Also, each couple will have to hold hands for the entire round. If you let go before the round is finished, you will be disqualified! So make sure your hands are all on the table where everyone can see them!"

Lucy looked at me and I broke into a huge smile. This is what I like about our partnership. No words needed, and I still know what she's thinking.

And this time I didn't forget; I held out my hand to her and she took it. The feeling of her skin against mine sent a weird tingle through me and the rhythm of my heart changed again.

"…now!" I wasn't paying attention to what Mirajane was saying and apparently, the clock started!

I opened my mouth wide and Lucy stuffed cake into my mouth. Over and over again, it was just cake, cake, and more cake. But it was delicious cake. _It's probably the only time I'll ever be able to eat so much strawberry cake without having to face Erza glaring at me! _I relished in this historic moment and didn't even feel the time zip by.

All I thought of was cake and I didn't realize it when somebody went down. _Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake! _

"It seems like Alzack is down!" Mirajane's voice went through my mind but did not process until a few seconds later.

_Cake, cake- huh? Why'd she stop? _I looked up at Lucy but she was looking elsewhere. _Oh yeah, Alzack's down. The round is over. _

_But I want cake! _I spotted a forkful of cake in mid-air and I lunged forward to seize it. When I did so, Lucy's head turned back. Her brown eyes meet mine, and I feel a little flicker, deep inside of me. _What was that? _

Just then, she giggled and I snapped back to attention.

"What?" I said when I released the fork.

"Nothing~!" Lucy replied all merrily. _She's being weird again. _

Mirajane's voice overrode all others and she pronounced, "Unfortunately, this means that the Alzack-Bisca pair is out!" Some of the crowd 'aww'-ed and some cheered encouragingly. Then Mira continued saying, "But you two receive a consolation price of matching couple T-shirts! Thank you for participating!"

Bisca supported Alzack off the stage. _Wow, he looks green. _Then Lisanna went up to them and handed them the couple T-shirts.

"It's time for a 5 minute break to let our contestants clean up!" Mirajane announced. "Stick around for round two and find out who's the Closest Couple of Fairy Tail!"

And with that, Mirajane and everybody else exited the stage.

* * *

Five minutes later, the contestants were back on stage and Mirajane light-heartedly addressed the audience, "Welcome back for round two, everybody!"

_Alright, only one round left – the Q&A session. _

"Round two is a test to show how well you know your partner!" Mirajane said. "Now I would like to invite the participants to shift your seats; Girls to my side and boys to the other!"

And we all shifted accordingly. Now I sat beside Elfman.

During the break, the digital clock above was replaced by a large, flat lacrima screen and the long table seemed to have disappeared somewhere.

"For this round, I will ask 5 questions. The questions could be about anything, from your partner's birthday to the date when you first met each other." Mirajane told us the gist of the game. "Audience, please do not prompt the contestants!"

Then Lisanna got on stage and handed out magic pens and lacrima boards to the contestants.

"You have ten seconds to write down your answers, starting from after I ask the question! Everybody ready?" Mirajane asked.

All of us nodded.

"Okay! Now the first question is for the _males_: what are your girlfriends' body measurements?"

_Ooooh. That's easy. 88-58-87, _I scribbled the 6 numbers down. I didn't expect this question to be asked, but fortunately, I knew the answer. I must thank Happy for this. _Maybe I'll go fishing and surprise him with a huge catch! _

"Females, please pen down the right answer too!" Mirajane instructed and the girls all wrote on their lacrima boards.

"Now, let's take a look at the answers, shall we?" Mirajane went forward and began reading the answers.

"Elfman wrote 86-58-86! And comparing it with Evergreen's answer, he's correct!" And a loud cheer emerged from the audience.

Mirajane continued when the cheering died down. "Natsu's answer is 88-58-87, and it's the same as Lucy's answer!" _Yes! One down! _

I looked at Lucy hoping to see a winning smile, but instead, my partner looked confused. _Why? _I wondered. But I just shot back (what I hoped would be) a reassuring smile at her.

"Alright, next! It's a question for the females. Males, please write down the correct answer too. Question 2: What is your boyfriend's favourite food? You have ten seconds!"

_Lucy will definitely know this one. _Without hesitating, I wrote: fire.

The ten seconds passed really quickly and Mirajane took a look at the answers again. "The first two questions seem too easy for our contestants," she commented. "Let's look at the answers! Elfman's favourite food: Mirajane's Otoko ramen! Yay~ correct! It's the special ramen I make for my ototo!" Mirajane smiled as she said.

Then she continued, "And Lucy answered that Natsu's favourite food is fire! Correct!" The crowd burst into cheers again.

_Awesome, two down! _

"The remaining 3 questions are to be answered by both persons of each couple!" Mirajane said. _Alright, things are going to get more challenging. But bring it on, I'm all fired up! _

"Question 3: What is your favourite couple activity?"

_Hah! I spotted this question and Lucy and I already discussed this! _I scrawled 'cuddling on the couch' onto the lacrima board and waited for the ten seconds to pass again. _Three down, and it wasn't even difficult at all. _

"Time's up! Let's take a look at the answers!" Mirajane said. "Wait, what's this? Elfman wrote 'training in the forest' but Evergreen wrote 'flying in the forest'! Incorrect! You have to write the same words!" At that moment I thought victory was sure to be ours. After all, how can anyone defeat Lucy and me – the best pair in all Earthland?

Anyway, when Elfman and Evergreen got the question wrong, the crowd gave them a round of applause. Then Mirajane continued, "Moving on… Natsu wrote 'cuddling on the couch' and so did Lucy! Aww, how sweet~" The audience began to cheer again, but I was lost in thought.

_Is it? Really? _I found myself wondering. Lucy came up with all the answers and I just agreed because… _I duno._ She seemed to know about all kinds of stuff. _Hmm… cuddling on the couch is a couple activity huh… I wonder why. It sounds pretty boring to me. Oh well. _

"Second last question!" Mirajane brought me back from my thoughts. The crowd went quiet again in order to hear Mirajane's question. "Where is the location of your first kiss?"

_Under the rainbow sakura tree, _I wrote down on the lacrima board the exact words that Lucy had said.

'_The exact words' huh… Maybe Happy's right. _

Happy thinks my memory has gotten better ever since I met Lucy, and he claims that I remember everything about Lucy. I told him, _no, I don't. _But then he never ever admits that I, in fact, don't. Instead, he would always insist that I do and then out of the blue, he would just go 'you liiiiiiike her!' And then I would just give up on convincing him and walk away.

I _don't _like Lucy. I mean, I do, but I don't _like _like her. There's a difference.

When I finally came back from my thoughts, Mirajane had just begun to announce our opponents' answers. "Elfman and Evergreen both wrote 'in the forest'!" The audience roared in response.

"As for Natsu and Lucy… They both wrote the same answer as well: under the rainbow sakura tree!" More cheers came from the audience as another thought crept into my head.

_Why under the rainbow sakura tree? Of all the places, why under a freaking tree? _I really don't get that weirdo sometimes.

And that's when it dawns on me. _It's her fantasy, isn't it? One of her girly things again? Well! I suppose being the boyfriend, I can at least understand this much. _

… _Wait a minute. I'm not really her boyfriend. _

"…are leading by one correct answer!" I tuned into Mirajane again. _Better focus on the contest or there will no revenge. _"If there is a tie at the end we will ask _another _question, so not to worry!" Mirajane said. "The last question is a little bit different so you will have 30 seconds. Are you ready?" _Never been readier in my life, _I replied her question in my mind.

"Question 5: what do you love about your partner?"

_Hmm… _

"You have 30 seconds! Write what you love about your partner first! Then write what you think your partner loves about you at the top right hand corner!"

_What do I love about Lucy? _Immediately, an image surfaced in my head – a pair of unmistakable chocolate eyes. _Her _eyes. Just by picturing her eyes, the beat of my heart became uneven again. It's like a weird flutter and it makes me feel full. I couldn't understand it.

Not forgetting that I'm in the middle of a competition, I wrote 'her eyes' on the lacrima board.

"20 more seconds! Lucy looks like she's having a hard time! Well, it's to be expected since they're a relatively new couple after all!"

Lucy having a hard time? I'm not worried at all, because I believe in her and I know that she'll pull through in the end. Also, she's really smart, so if I can do this, she can do it too.

_Now, what would she love about me? Hmm… What might a girl like about me? My pink hair? _

_No, think girly, Natsu, _I said to myself in my head. _Think like Lucy. _

I think about all our adventures we've had together, and I think of all the times we've spent together. And then I got it. _I got the answer, _and I wrote it down.

"10 seconds more!" Mirajane declared and everybody else began to countdown.

I felt confident of our answers, even though I hadn't a clue what Lucy's answers were. But I already knew we were going to win, because _we're the closest couple that nobody can win. _

"5 more seconds! Hurry up and write down your answers!"

"…4…3…2…1…0!" The audience chanted.

"Time's up! Pens down!" Mirajane instructed. Without warning, the crowd exploded into thunderous cheers and a huge applause.

Mirajane shouted into the microphone that floated on little wings. "Elfman's answers: 'her womanliness' and 'my manliness'! Evergreen's answers: 'his manliness' and 'my womanliness'! Exactly the same! Wow!

"But my, my! What do we have here? Natsu's answers: 'her eyes' and 'my warmth'! Lucy's answers: 'his warmth' and 'my eyes'! Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have a clear winner tonight! Give it up for Natsu and Lucy!"

_YEAH, we won! Revenge! Flaming brownies! _

I didn't think it was possible, but the crowd roared even louder than before.

Out of nowhere, Lucy ran up to me and surprised me with a hug. Unthinkingly, I hugged her back by her waist and spun her around.

"Natsu, we won!" Delight overflowed from the tone of her voice.

"Yeah!" I shouted back in rejoice. Then I hugged her closer and muttered, "Step two of our mission, complete."

"Aww~ everybody look at the loving couple!" I realized I had completely disregarded our surroundings until Mirajane exclaimed.

Abruptly, Lucy brought her arms down from around my neck and I let go of her waist. As I let her go, I felt the strangest _ache _in the middle of my chest. _What is happening to me? _

But before I had a chance to seriously think about that strangeness, Mirajane caught my attention again when she exclaimed. "Now I shall present the prizes to our Closest Couple of the Year X785!" The crowd roared to life again as Lucy and I were brought to centre stage.

With perfect timing, Lisanna came out from the kitchen again with another levitating pushcart which had a pyramid of brownies on it. _A month's supply of flaming brownies! _All troubles were forgotten at the thought of food.

Then Mirajane said the prizes on last time, "A trip to Akane Resort for two and a month's supply of my special brownies – any flavour you like!"

Impatiently, I said, "Mira, fire flavour please!" And she lit the brownies on fire straightaway.

"Uwaahh…" I marvelled at the sight of the mountain of brownies on fire.

"Thank you, Lisanna!" Mirajane got an envelope, which I didn't notice was in Lisanna's hand, from Lisanna.

When she left, Mirajane dropped an unexpected challenge. "Now! Before I hand over the prizes to you, please kiss in front of everybody to declare your love for each other!"

I saw the anxious look Lucy gave me, but I looked her in the eye and said 'trust me'. _I knew what to do. _So then I leaned forward and planted a kiss on her cheek. But what I did not expect was for my heart to speed up when Lucy's face went extremely pink. _Oh gosh, she looks so cute. I never knew my girl could look like that. _

_Wait. NO! What am I thinking?! This relationship is bogus! Geez, the entire Valentine's Day atmosphere is just messing with my head! _

Mirajane had to shout in the microphone through all the noise from the crowd. "Here! Congratulations!" She handed the resort tickets to Lucy. I knew the kiss on the cheek thing would work because I had seen other couples do it before in previous years.

_Alright. Time to complete our mission. _

"Ahe-hem!" I grabbed the mike and cleared my throat. "I have something to say to everyone!" The audience fell silent in anticipation.

"Actually… Lucy and I are not together at all!" _And I do not like her, Happy. _

A seemingly confused and angry commotion arose from the audience, and Mirajane's expression was priceless. Her eyes were wide and her jaw had dropped to the floor; she was in shock and speechless. All the other guild members' faces I spotted through the crowd were of tremendous astonishment too.

Yet for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to laugh at their supposedly hilarious expressions. _Because I felt like the most gobsmacked one of all. _

Still holding the mike in my hands, I repeated myself, "Yep! Lucy and I are just friends!" But I wasn't sure if these words were meant for their ears or for mine.

_I no longer knew whether those words were meant to convince others, or to convince myself… _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**This was a tough one to write! I didn't know how to create that feeling, or build up that turmoil within Natsu without it being too obvious. I kinda hope you guys can tell that it sort of crept up on Natsu and that at the end he was really unsure. Not really the typical cheery Natsu, I know. But hey, even in love, Natsu will experience some emotional rollercoasters right? **

**Anyway, I really hope you guys will like this chapter! Leave me some reviews or something, let me know! :D **

**And now… I've got a little something extra for all of you~ ^^ **

* * *

**~ How Natsu Knows Lucy's Measurements ~ **

"Whoa, she was really cranky today, wasn't she?" said Happy.

"Yeah… I wonder what's up. It's not like I did anything different from usual. I just climbed in through the window. What's the big deal?"

It was mid-afternoon and Happy and I were walking home from Lucy's apartment. (I was walking, Happy flew.) This was not routine and it felt weird. Usually we would hang around her place until it was around night time, but today she threw us out! Or she threw _me _out and Happy had to fly out so he could catch me before I had a bad landing. _Oh, did I mention she threw me out the window? _

"But she was really angry, Natsu! She Lucy-kicked you, _twice!_"

"I know, that hurt." I said as I massaged my jaw. I pondered for a moment and then said, "Maybe we just came at a really bad time today. I wonder why her kicks hurt so much though. I mean, usually she has like zero strength."

"Eh… Isn't it kinda like a power up? Like how you can eat other elements and power up?"

"Whoa, that'd be awesome if it were true! But why have I only ever seen her use it on me?"

"OH, I know!"

"What? What?" I eagerly asked.

"It must be because she's so heavy!" Happy cried.

"Pfft–! Maybe?" I said. "Don't let her hear you say that today or you might not live to see the sun set tonight."

"But it's true! Every time I carry her it feels like I'm gonna sink!" Happy said. "I wonder why she's so heavy…"

"Is she really that heavy?" I asked. I'd carried her a few times but felt nothing. I think it's because of the difference between our physical strengths. After all, a cat, even if it's blue and can talk and fly, will not have greater strength than a Dragon Slayer.

"Oh, I know! I know!" Happy suddenly shouted.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what else could have got him so excited.

"It must be her humongous chest! That's why she's so heavy!"

"Huh?!" _That's the solution he comes up with? _

"Don't you think so?"

"Think what exactly?" _That her chest is big, that she's heavy, or that she's heavy because her chest is big? _

"That her huge chest makes her heavy!"

"Uhh… No?"

"Nope, that's _definitely _the reason!"

"Like I said, no! Her chest is _not _that big, at least not big enough to affect her weight."

"Oh, please. Her chest is ginormous. Every other guy in the guild thinks so. In fact, I think her chest is even bigger than her hips."

_Sometimes I wonder how Happy thinks of such things. _"No, it's not."

"How do you know?"

"I… I just know it's not." _I had no idea actually. _

"Hah! You see, you _don't _know!" _Dang, sometimes it sucks that close friends can always tell when you're lying or uncertain. _

"I know it's not!"

"It is, it is!" Happy argued.

"It's not!" And somehow we end up in an argument.

"I bet you it _IS!_"

"Oh, you _bet? _How much?" I challenged him.

"I bet you 10 fishes that it is!"

"You're on!" I accepted his bet. "_When _you lose, you have to buy me 10 fire floats!" And then I turn around and began walking in the opposite direction, back to Lucy's house.

"Where are you going, Natsu? Our house is that way."

"I'm going to ask Lucy for her measurements, of course."

"Stop!" Happy yelled as he yanked me by my scarf and I stopped. "Do you want to die?! Asking Lucy such things will get you killed! Especially when she's in a bad mood!"

"Oh right." I realized. _It would be like courting death. _

"Haven't you learnt _anything _about Lucy these past few months?" Happy said.

"Then how do we get her measurements?" I asked. Different scenarios, like Happy and I sneaking into her bedroom at night when she's asleep and measuring her with a measuring tape, floated around in my head.

"To the guild!" Happy indirectly ignored my question and gained speed in the other direction. I ran after him and kept pace.

* * *

"What are we doing at the guild?" I asked.

"To ask the expert."

"What? Who?" _Who else but me could possibly be an expert about Lucy? _

"Max Alors!" Happy replied as we went past the guild's grand entrance.

_Max? The gift shopkeeper? _

Slightly bewildered, I slowed down as Happy and I approached the gift shop. Max was behind the counter looking bored as not a single customer was in sight.

"Hey, Natsu." He said.

"Max!" Happy called as he landed on the gift shop counter.

"What's up, Happy?"

"Max, you know all about the Fairy Tail member figurines and stuff right?" Happy questioned.

"Yeah! Why? Is somebody asking about them? Do they want to buy some? Like, the whole collection maybe?" Max rattled on and on excitedly.

"No, Max, listen!" Happy said. "What about Lucy?"

"What, her figurine? It sold out yesterday. Someone bought the last one with the removable clothes. Do you want one? The new stocks come in two days."

"No, I want to ask you something!" Happy spoke while I just listened. _Why is Max considered the expert anyway? _"The figurines, they're all proportionate to the real thing right?"

"Yeah, of course! Otherwise they wouldn't look so real."

I pick up a figurine of me and examine it. _Hmm… he does have a point. This looks exactly like me. _

"Ok, so you know all the proportions?" Happy inquired further.

"Yes… why?" I could sense that Max was starting to get apprehensive, wondering what exactly Happy was trying to drive at.

So I cut in and went straight to the point. "What are Lucy's measurements?"

"What?" Max sounded like he couldn't believe his ears.

Then Happy repeated my question, "What are Lucy's measurements?"

"88-58-87, why–"

"I was _right!_" Happy cut Max off.

_Dang, 2 cm! _

"You owe me 10 fishes!" Happy yelled victoriously.

"Yeah, yeah. C'mon, let's go to the lake." I picked Happy off the counter and stride off.

"I want 10 _LARGE _fishes, okay?" Happy said.

"Fine. When did I last catch you a small fish anyway?"

* * *

**Hope you liked that little story! **

**Thank you for reading my story! ^^ And countless thanks to those who've reviewed/followed/favourite-d my story! Especially those who keep coming back, thank you so much for your support! (: **


	19. Chapter 13: Proximity

**~ Proximity ~**

_15 February X785_

The day began just like any other day, with me rolling around in bed, refusing to get up even though I was already awake. Except… for some reason it's really warm. And I have a moderate headache. _Did I really drink that much in the party last night? But it was really fun though! _

_Ugh, it's so warm! _I kicked my covers off and rolled over again.

_Hang on a second, why's it still so warm? _

_And why does this feel like a person… … _

"NATSU!" The minute I opened my eyes, I screamed at the top of my lungs while backing away towards my window.

"Ugh… huh?" He mumbled but immediately fell back asleep without moving an inch.

_What's he doing in my bed?! _

"HEY! GET UP!" I yelled and nudged him with my foot.

But then he swatted my foot away like I was a fly. _Oh, this is just fantastic! _

"I said… get _up!_" I kicked him mega-hard and he tumbled onto the floor.

"Ouch! Lucy, what was that for?!" _Good, now he's awake. _

As I crawled back onto my bed, I replied, "For sleeping like a log and not getting up? And maybe for sleeping _in my bed? _What are you even _doing _here anyway?"

"Huh?" He looked around, disoriented. Then he sat himself upright on the floor and soothed his back (where I kicked).

"Oh, whatever. Go home and _DON'T _sleep here again." _Even if we're really close, he's still a guy, isn't he? _

I might have been kept in a mansion for the majority of my life, but I still knew that there were normal boundaries between a girl and a guy that needed to be kept. A father doesn't stay in the room when his grown-up daughter changes, a male servant cannot help his female mistress bathe. And similarly, a male friend _cannot_ sleep in the same bed as his female friend!

"I must have crashed last night after I brought you home…" Natsu finally seemed to have realized where he was and what just happened.

Then I saw that he was still wearing the same outfit as last night. No, _we _were still wearing the same couple outfit as last night. _Oh gosh, I better go wash up. I probably look like crap. _Unlike Natsu, whose hair looked the same like always and the rest of him didn't look any different from usual. _It's so easy being a guy. _

"Well, see you later." I said as I went to the bathroom. _He can just let himself out._

* * *

I was lying in my bathtub, soaked in blissful vanilla-scented (yes, I changed my bath soak) waters, when out of nowhere, an unwelcomed burning, smoky barbeque-ish smell crept into my nose. I crinkled my nose at that horrible whiff, wondering where it came from.

And then I realized _it smells like something is on fire… And it's coming from downstairs! Holy shit! Did my house catch fire? _Instantly I leapt out of my bathtub and grabbed my towel. Wrapping the towel around me as I strode across the length of my bedroom, I grabbed my Celestial keys along the way and then half ran down the stairs, tracing the smell.

As soon as I got downstairs, I noticed that nothing was burning. _Maybe in the kitchen? _I cautiously made my way there. What I saw made me heave a sigh of relief, but also slightly maddened me.

Natsu was burning charcoal at my stove and eating them like fireballs. _What the hell? When did he bring another bag of charcoal to my place anyway? _

"What are you doing?!" I shouted. He did not jump in surprise but nonchalantly slurped another fireball down. _He must have heard me coming. _

He swallowed and then replied, "Eating."

"I can see that! I mean, what are you still doing here?" I was no longer shouting but my voice was still raised.

"Like I said, eating!"

"I thought you were going home." _I really don't know what he's still doing here! Eat in your own house! _

"Yeah, later, after I eat breakfast."

Upon hearing that, what little anger I had had dispersed. _He will leave, just not yet. I figured I could deal with that. Maybe I'll have breakfast with him too! _

I put my keys down on the counter and went over to the fridge.

"What are _you _doing?" Natsu abruptly asked.

I got out 2 eggs and let the fridge door swing close. "Uh, eating breakfast with you?" _Not really sure why I have to explain what I'm doing to him, considering this is my house. _

"In that?" He pointed at me with a piece of charcoal in his hands.

_OHHHH SHIT. I'm in a towel. In front of Natsu. Again. _

_Crap, crap, crap! _Feeling a huge blush coming on, I put the 2 eggs back in the fridge and ran back up the stairs to my bedroom, two at a time without turning back. _How could I have forgotten?! _

* * *

_14 March X785 _

I hadn't seen Natsu in six days. For some inexplicable reason, _which I can't think of_, I'm feeling edgy and unsettled. I can't even sit still! Like, I sit at my usual spot at Mirajane's bar and my leg keeps shaking and fidgeting.

And, _I can't concentrate. _When I sit down at my desk at night I can't, for the life of me, concentrate on writing my novel. I just feel frustrated and I don't know why.

I keep wondering, _where is Natsu? And why haven't I seen him for the past week? In fact, why does nobody know where he is? _

I wanted to go to his house and find him, but then it hit me. _I didn't know where it was! _I had _never _been to his house before. I would ask Happy but Mirajane said he went on a long mission with Wendy and Carla. So I could only keep checking the guild and the lake where he frequently fished at. _What could Natsu be doing that wouldn't even require Happy being there? _

I was in the Fairy Tail library again, reading a book, when Levy walked in with a huge stack of books in her hand, piled up to her eyeballs. Instantly, I got up and went over to help her.

"What's all this, Levy?" The two thick books I got off of her were pretty weighty. All four of them combined must be rather heavy. _I wonder what new topic caught her interest recently. _Her blue hair was tied up with a yellow ribbon and she wore her Gale-Force Reading Glasses. That appearance told that she's hooked onto some new subject again.

"Research! About another ancient script I discovered last week!" She said brightly as she heaved those books over to the desk in the middle of the library. I put the books down too and they landed with a huge thud.

"Oh." I said. _Well, that's not really my field of interest. _Then I went back to the comfy oversized armchair in the corner and plopped myself down. Folding my legs and hugging my knees to my chest, I picked up my book and continued reading again.

"What are you reading?" Levy asked.

"_Up in the Clouds,_" I quoted the book title and lifted it up so she could see the cover.

"Oh! I quite like that book! It's pretty funny!" Levy said.

"Mmhmm…" I acknowledged her comment and turned the page again.

"Especially the part where the girl and the guy kept making rain start and stop, and then they laugh at all the people down below who–" Suddenly Levy cut off her habitual babbling and she just looks at me.

"…what?" I was forced to say under her odd stare. _Do I have something on my face? _

Then shocked, she gasped, "Did I accidentally give you a spoiler again? Oh, I'm so sorry, Lu!"

"No… I already read that part, so it's okay." I said absentmindedly.

"Really?" Levy then sat down on the armrest beside me and looked at the pages to see which part I was at. "Lucy…"

"Hmm?"

"Is something wrong?" She put her palm over the pages of my book and forced me to look up at her.

"Err… no?" I said and I removed her hand from my book and resumed reading.

"No, no, no. The Lucy I know does not _not _get excited over books." And before I could protest she took the book from my hands and put it face down on the table. She looked back and stared straight into my eyes, I almost felt like turning away and avoiding her gaze for some reason. "Tell me, Lu-chan. What's wrong?"

"What? What do you mean what's wrong? Nothing's wrong." I told her. _Which is true. I just feel uneasy, but it's nothing I haven't felt before during these last couple of days. _

"No, something's definitely wrong. I mean, it's SO obvious! If Natsu were here, he'd definitely agree with me." _Yeah, but he's not, he's nowhere to be found. _"_Ohmygosh, _that's it, isn't it?!" She shrieked with sudden realization and startled my poor weak heart.

"What are you talking about…?" I gave her a bewildered look.

"It's because Natsu's not here! _That's _why you're so down!"

"No, it's not! And I'm not down." By then, I was so used to people constantly trying to bring Natsu and I together that I didn't even bother to roll my eyes anymore.

"Nope, I don't believe you." She crossed her arms and gave me a skeptical look. "You don't even know it yourself yet, so of course you'd say it's not."

"I don't even know… what?" I said. _She's starting to not make any sense!_ "Whatever, I'm not sad!"

"Ok, fine. Let's just say you're not sad because of Natsu. Then tell me, whyare you sad?"

"I'm telling you, I'm _not _sad. I just– I just can't find anything to do!" I said.

"Lucy, there are _hundreds_, and probably _thousands_, of books in this library. And you're reading one." Levy rebutted. "Say whatever you want, but you can't fool me. That sparkle in your eyes is missing, and you're reading _Up in the Clouds_, one of the books at the top of my list!"

"You have a long list with a lot of top books, Levy," I reminded her.

"Yes, I know," she said. "Don't try to change the subject please; tell me what's wrong, Lu-chan…"

She looked at me with big doe eyes that brimmed with worry and I felt guilty. Not guilty because I'd lied to her about how I feel or anything, but guilty because I hadn't been answering her seriously. So I took a moment and asked myself why.

_But I honestly could not find an answer. _"I think…" I started out slowly. "I think I'm just tired, Levy. Maybe it's because I've had a lot of late nights thinking about my book but I couldn't write any good paragraphs recently." Realizing that what I was saying only made her more worried, I quickly reassured her, "But don't worry! I'll be fine!"

Levy opened her mouth and was about to say something else, but I started again before she had a chance, "I just need more sleep! Honest! In fact, I think I'll go home and get some sleep right now." And then, not giving her any time to say anything more, I got up from my seat and scurried out of the library. I didn't linger around Fairy Tail anymore after that.

When I stepped out onto the cobblestone pathway to home, I noticed the sky was now dark and I realized that, without knowing so, I had spent the entire day cooped up in the library. Feeling like I needed some quiet company, I summoned Plue and hugged him all the way home. It was a cold night, and tonight felt strangely bone-chillingly cold.

As soon as I got home, I took a nice warm bath with Plue, changed into my plain pink long-sleeved shirt and pants pyjamas set and sat by my bed up on my windowsill with Plue right beside me.

The room was dark because I didn't feel like turning on the lights; my eyes had adjusted anyway. The numbers '19:49' glowed from my alarm clock and I thought it was too early to turn in yet, so _here I am, sitting on my windowsill, letting my thoughts run wild._

It was a tranquil night outside my window, only the swishing of the river waters could be heard. A cool breeze blew in through the small window opening every now and then. It would send my hair standing on its end, but still, I didn't close the window. Something inside of me did not allow me to close it. It was a peculiar feeling that was similar to sadness and nostalgia, but not quite the same.

_Maybe Levy's right about me being down. _"But I don't recall anything bad happening recently that would make me sad… This doesn't make any sense…" I spoke to no one in particular, but Plue replied "Pu~ puuun!"

"Yeah… I think tomorrow's Sun might chase these blues away too," I agreed with him. As I said this I imagined being out under the Sun's rays tomorrow but, something's missing. _The warmth of the Sun I'm conjuring up can't quite match with… his warmth. _

And totally out of the blue, a picture of the brightest smile I'd ever seen floated up in my head. It belonged to my best friend, and all at once, I felt a wave of emotions which warmed me down to the tip of every strand of my hair. But then I remembered I hadn't seen him in six days and the feeling of warmth dissipated. Once again, I was left with the emptiness of the night.

_Natsu, where are you? I hope you're coming back soon. _

_What am I saying? _I realized what my thoughts meant. _Was Levy right about this also? That I'm feeling off because Natsu isn't here? _

"No… That's not it." I whispered. "I know myself the best, even if Levy is a close friend…"

"Pu~pun?"

"It's nothing," I assured him. Then I glanced at my clock and it now read '20:31'. _I've been sitting here for 42 minutes? No wonder my thinking is all unclear. _I decided to turn in early for tonight.

I moved under my pink duvet, still hugging Plue close to me. Slowly my eyelids got heavier, and I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Lucy! Hey! Lucy, wake up!" A familiar husky voice shouted in a hushed tone.

"Ugh… go away…" I groaned sleepily and turned away from the voice.

"Nooooo! Lucy, get up! Hurry, or there won't be time!"

"…time for what…" I slurred.

"Time for–" The voice struggled. "Oh, just wake up!"

_Hmm, that voice is really familiar. It almost sounds like Natsu's. Hah! Natsu? I haven't seen him in six days there's no way he'd suddenly appear in my bedroom in the middle of the night… would he?! _Straightaway my eyes spring wide open.

"Natsu!" I exclaimed in surprise. I looked at the clock; it was 23:45. "Why are you here in the middle of the night?"

I thanked the moonlight for shining in through those windows because they helped my eyes adjust to the dark quicker. I sat up and watched as Natsu reached down and produced a square white box.

"Here!" He handed me the box.

"You wake me up at 11:45pm to give me a box?" _Can you believe this guy? I want to kick him!_ My leg was itching to do so but I held back.

"Yeah, hurry up! Open it!" For some unknown reason, he was all anxious and restless.

"Why? What is it?" I eyed the box suspiciously. "Is this some kind of a trick? I won't fall for it you know."

"Oh what the hell." Natsu said exasperatedly. He took the box from me and opened it.

When he turned it back round so I could see what's inside, I wasn't sure what exactly I was looking at. On the surface it looked like a chocolate cake, round and brown with perfect white icing cream decorating its exterior. But… _why– _

"Happy White Day, Lucy!"

_White Day?! _Immediately my heart leapt forward and began pumping in my chest. _Shit! He likes me?! _I felt panic rise up within me and I didn't know what to do.

_Okay, calm down. Don't jump to conclusions; just think about this whole thing clearly… _

_But he's freaking giving you a chocolate cake on White Day, Lucy! There's no room for misinterpretations! _The other half of my conflicted self debated.

"Yoohoo~! Lucy, are you still there?" Natsu waved his hand in front of my face. I didn't realize I had frozen. Then he said, "There's only 10 minutes left till the end of White Day. Hurry up and eat it."

_DON'T accept this. If you accept it, things will never be the same again. _Part of me told myself.

"Ah, right, the fork." He said and produced one from I-don't-know-where and handed it to me. "Here." I distractedly took the fork from him.

_No, wait. Let's think this through clearly. _I emptied the extra voices in my head and tried looking at things from a rational point of view.

What other reasons could there be for Natsu to give me a chocolate cake on White Day? _As in, the whole basis of this day was so guys could give chocolate to girls who've given them chocolate on Valentine's Day because they feel the same way right… Wait a second…! Ah-hah! I've found the loophole! _

"Lucy, are you alright?" He said.

"Natsu," I said sternly, being extremely serious. "Do you know that White Day is a day when guys give chocolate to girls…" He nodded. "…whom they love _romantically?_" _And not because a girl gives you giri chocolate… _

When I saw the expression on his face freeze, I knew I had hit the nail on the head. _He didn't know! _

There was silence in the room for a moment before Natsu eventually broke it. "Shit! That Gray told me something weird _again! _I can't believe it, why did I believe him?! And Mirajane! Argh, that demon in disguise! I can't believe I spent so much time with her learning how to bake this cake!"

I couldn't believe my ears. "You spent six days learning how to bake a cake for me…?"

"Uh, yeah? Because Gray told me that– oh nevermind!" Natsu stopped abruptly and closed the box before me. Then he took the fork out of my hand and put it on the table together with the box.

_Hmm… knowing Gray, he probably told Natsu something dumb and planted some idea into his head again so that he would do all this and, I suppose, embarrass himself or something. Well, that's a relief; Natsu doesn't really like me. _

_But Natsu, on the other hand… he must be feeling pretty bad right now because, not only did he wake me up in the middle of the night for nothing, he also wasted the last six days. Or at least that's what he thinks. _

I stood up from my bed and grabbed the fork.

"What are you doing?" He asked as I reached for the box and opened its lid.

Ignoring his question, I simply picked up some cake with the fork and put it in my mouth. Delicious flavours filled my mouth and I found myself absolutely amazed. _Oh, wow, this is really good…!_

The cake was perfectly spongy, the chocolate was rich without being overly sweet, and that icing was just the cherry on top.

"Did you really make this?!" I sort of shouted in disbelief, and then I put some more cake into my mouth.

Knowing that I meant to make him feel better, Natsu beamed his signature happy-go-lucky smile and then said, "Yeah! Is it nice?"

"It's freaking amazing!" I exclaimed and picked up more cake again. I glanced at the clock, 23:58. _Way past 10pm, but who cares? _

"Really?" He said, hardly believing my words.

"Yup. Here." I shoved the cake into his mouth without warning.

I watched his expression change into one of delight as he realized how delicious his cake is too.

"Whew~! What a relief!" He sighed as he free fell backwards and completely collapsed onto my bed.

"Did you really learn to bake this in six days?" I asked again, still incredulous.

"Of course! I baked that one all by myself. Mirajane spent two days teaching me. After that I spent who-knows-how-long baking it over and over again so that it would get better and better."

_It made sense that Mirajane had to help. I'm not surprised she didn't say anything though. _

_Four days in isolation just so he could bake a cake for me huh… _

"Thank you, Natsu." I said as I stared down at the cake pensively. I had already finished a quarter of it.

"Can you–" I stopped midway when I looked up. I wanted to ask him to teach me how to make it, but then he was sound asleep on my bed.

_I know he's on my bed but… _But I could not bring myself to wake him up. Not after finding out what he had been up to these past few days. Initially I thought I was the only one losing sleep over of him. But now I understand that, he had been losing sleep because of me too. _So how could I wake him up? _

_That was the first time I let him sleep in my bed… _

* * *

_31__st__ March X785 _

_My beloved Mama, _

_I have something I need to talk to you about today. _

_Tomorrow I leave for a long mission with Natsu and the rest. It's the mission we got as a punishment for hijacking that Zentopia pirate ship last year. As a favour for Master Makarov, we'll be going to Phantom Lord Academy as undercover mages disguised as students. We have to stay at their student dormitory so I can't bring anything that might give my identity away. I'm quite excited actually! Mirajane had to move my Fairy Tail insignia to my back (I decided to have it between my shoulder blades) so nobody over there would find out I am a mage. I will miss it on my hand, but for the timing being, I just have to leave it be for the sake of this mission. _

_Anyway, that's not the main reason why I'm writing this letter tonight. _

_Today, I had a sudden realization that Natsu and I have a unique type of friendship. Not that I didn't think our friendship was special before, but right now I think it has become even more special. _

_Although I hate to admit it, many of my guild mates are right about the amount of time I spend together with Natsu. I'm with him all day, every day. And it's not just that; we know each other inside out. We know each other's likes, dislikes, bad habits, weird habits, dumb habits, secrets, complicated family histories, top 10 most embarrassing moments… things like that. _

_On top of that, we've both gone out of our way to do a lot of ridiculous things for each other that – if you think about it rationally – already goes beyond the limits of simple friendship. And because of that, we've also managed to create a lot of memories together – funny memories, happy memories, occasionally a few sad moments, some even remind me of super-crazy-incredibly-impossibly difficult times. _

_And then, there's the matter of physical proximity. Natsu has zero sense of personal space I tell you, ZERO! Oh, this part just infuriates me the most! He barges into the toilet when I'm taking a bath, he crawls into my bed at night, and – worst of all – he's not bothered anymore when I'm in nothing but a towel! I can go around (my house) all morning, forgetting that I'm only covered by a towel, and he would just conveniently neglect to tell me. And knowing that he's Natsu, I know he doesn't care about my figure or anything, so then I don't know whether I should be offended or not. _

_In short, he treats my house like it's his and people even come to MY house just to find him! Argh…! The thing is, it wasn't like this in the past (when we just met and stuff), but now that we've gotten closer… I don't even know if it's proximity or intimacy anymore! Is it normal for two people to be so close and yet, NOT be a couple? (Because we aren't) _

_It's all these little things that make me wonder whether our friendship is really platonic. We are just so close to each other that now and then I become unsure of where we stand. I mean, we ourselves know that we're just best friends, but… quite frankly, even I think we appear like a couple sometimes… …especially the way we are when we're in my apartment. I guess the only reason why I know we're still just best friends is because we do not do things that are explicitly couple actions._

_It's 12mn now and I have to go sleep. I've got to get up at 5am (to catch an early train to Phantom Lord Academy I presume). _

_I think the only thing Natsu doesn't know about me is that I still write letters to you. By the way, he's here tonight too, just that he's fast asleep so I got up to pen down my thoughts and write one last letter to you before I leave. I won't be back for a while so I won't be able to write any letters for a period of time. But I know you'll always be watching me from above and even if I don't write, you'll know how I am doing! _

_Love always, _

_Lucy _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**So here's a chapter on how Lucy is struggling with her increasingly close friendship/relationship with Natsu. She's already starting to like him, because she lets him sleep in her bed now, but she kind of doesn't realizes it herself. ****_*cough* dense! *cough*_**** Yup, but she's smart so she'll realize it faster than Natsu… I think. Or at least soon.**

**Btw, the reason why I'm writing this love story so slowly is because… Well, actually I wished the real Fairy Tail (as much as I already love it) had been such that the NaLu love story will progress slowly with each episode from the very beginning… But it didn't (even though their relationship might progress more later on). So I thought, why not just write my own fanfic? **

**But then, of course, I can't just use Hiro Mashima's arcs… I don't think it would be very interesting for me to describe all the arcs in words all over again ****_even if _****I insert more NaLu in between. That's why I'm making new adventures! They're probably not mind-blowing and "whoa!" like Hiro Mashima's, but ultimately, there will be romance. **

**Now, a few things about this chapter! **

**Number one, I made up the book title Lucy was reading, ****_Up in the Clouds _****is a completely fake title I cooked up. Two, White Day is a Japanese tradition, go Google it! Three, the letter was really hard to write…! I really tried my best to grasp the right feeling I wanted. Four! I realize that recently my chapters just keep getting longer and longer. But this one's around 4300 words, I think that's in between? Anw, some of you have said the longer the better, so what the heck! xD**

**Lastly, thank you all for the support so far! ^^ Feel free to point out any improvements you think I can make with a review! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! **


	20. Chapter 14: Distance

**~ Distance ~ **

We stepped into the classroom. All eyes were on us, each clearly looking on with curiosity.

"Please introduce yourself to the class," said Ikaruga sensei, our homeroom teacher. She had light pink long hair and she wore a loose white top with kimono-style sleeves and a long pleated skirt which matched her top in colour and style. I had only just met her this morning, but right away I noticed that she carried herself with sophistication and gave off the air of a refined lady.

With slight apprehension, my gaze swept over the classroom briefly before I said, "Hi! I'm Lucy Ashley."

"Gray Surge," Gray Fullbuster said coolly.

"Lucy and Gray are transfer students from Magnolia," Ikaruga sensei said. "They are new here so I hope everybody will guide them around and help them get used to school life."

Then she paused and scanned the classroom, seemingly looking for something. "Just nice, there are exactly two empty seats," she said. "Lucy, Gray, please take your seats and we shall begin the first lesson."

The both of us walked between the seats which were arranged singly in a 5x5 formation. The two empty seats were both at the last row, but separated by one girl. I headed for the one right next to the window while Gray went for the one right in the middle of the row.

As I placed my standard blue book bag on the table and sat down, I felt the faint presence of magic emanating from the person sitting directly to my right. Immediately I thought _it must be her. _

I studied her appearance. Wavy shoulder-length royal blue hair… Dark blue eyes… Pale skin… Instead of the blue-striped school tie, a teru teru bozu was attached to her white uniform shirt like it was a ribbon necktie.

_I have to find out whether it's really her._ "Hi! What's your name?" I jovially asked, like any normal transfer student would ask her new tablemate.

_If I'm not wrong, her name should be… _"Juvia Lockser. Pleased to meet you." She replied politely but emotionlessly.

That was how I managed to confirm that she was one of the Element 4.

I fleetingly wondered if she was usually this impassive, but then I replied with a cheerful "Nice to meet you too!"

"Alright, class, take out your literature books and let's begin the first Japanese lesson of the semester." Ikaruga sensei instructed.

As I did so, I remembered how I got here and recalled the meeting two days ago. I was very excited about having to attend a real school, but I did not forget for even a moment that this was a mission.

* * *

The four of us stood before Master in his office on the 2nd floor of the Fairy Tail building. He sat on his desk and had papers spread out before him, strewn across the desk. It was two days before we were due to leave for Phantom Lord Academy and he had summoned us here.

"Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Erza," Master Makarov sternly called our names. "The day after tomorrow you will set off on your punishment mission."

Although he said punishment mission, Erza thinks that Master is only using that incident as an excuse so we couldn't refuse this mission. So it was actually a rather important mission.

"This is a pretty personal mission to help my good friend Jose and I am sure you will all do your best. But nevertheless, there are a few things I have to tell you all, and so I've called for this meeting." Master Makarov stopped there and looked down at his papers.

There was a moment of silence as everybody expected him to say something else. But upon realizing that he wasn't going to continue, Natsu broke the silence, "So? What's the mission all about?"

"Wait," Master replied without looking up. "There's one more person who's not here yet."

_Don don! _Somebody knocked twice and the door opened. Automatically, we all turned to look.

"Sorry I'm late, Master!" Levy McGarden's voice chimed. _Levy?! _

Master finally looked up from his papers and said, "Ok! Now that everybody's here, I can begin."

"Levy, what are you doing here?" I voiced my query, not hiding the surprise in my tone.

"Master requested that I be in this mission too, so here I am!" Levy said with a smile.

"I see," Erza said. "Welcome to the group then."

Levy beamed in response and then joined the end of the line, standing beside Erza.

"So what's this mission about, gramps?" Gray asked, slightly impatient already.

"Ahem! Yes," Master Makarov cleared his throat before he began. "So, the five of you will infiltrate Phantom Lord Academy as normal non-magic folk. I want you to investigate the strange incidents that have been going on over there lately. It all started last year, about three or four months ago, and has since become a recurring incident. It's stirred up quite a bit of unrest amongst the students."

"Well, what is it?" Natsu asked.

"Why are we only going there now?" Erza questioned.

The expression on Master's face grew stern and in a serious voice he answered, "Because nobody has ever actually been harmed by these incidents, and also, there is no solid evidence that such events actually happened. Whether the reports from students are true or whether this is all someone's idea of an ingenious prank, it remains to be discovered, by the five of you.

"Jose's very own Element 4 plus one have already begun the investigation for a while now but have yet to find anything. And so, he has requested my help. Also, having transfer students in the middle of the semester is rather unusual and would probably raise questions." He added.

"Ok… So what's this recurring incident?" I asked. _Why was he being so mysteriously evasive? _

Master fell into silence for awhile and the atmosphere got heavy and burdened by solemnity. We all understood the gravity of the situation from the way he was speaking to us and everybody's feelings sank to the same level.

"Sightings of ghosts." Master Makarov eventually stated and a soft gasp escaped my lips.

_Ghosts?! _

"Do they really exist?" Erza questioned.

"Dunno," Master shrugged and answered. "That's what you guys have to find out. The students have reported sightings of ghosts to the school management but… it is difficult to believe something like that. Initially the academy ignored such reports. But gradually, more similar reports have come in, and now, a sighting is reported at least once every month. As a result, the students are becoming restless and afraid, which is not what Jose wants to see.

"Jose Porla is the director of Phantom Lord Academy. Although he is a powerful wizard, holding the title of one of the Ten Wizard Saints, he decided to start a school for non-magic folk. I'm sure you've all heard of Jose Porla and of Phantom Lord Academy before. After all, it's the only school that runs on magic but is not for mages."

I nodded as, indeed, I had heard of those names before.

"Wait a second," Gray interrupted. "What did you mean when you said 'infiltrate Phantom Lord Academy as normal non-magic folk'? You can't be serious? Is this even a mission for mages if we can't use our magic?"

"I think you've misunderstood, Gray," Master said. "I meant you have to _act _like any other non-magic student, but you can use your magic so long as nobody finds out that you are not a student, but actually a mage from a guild."

"Why go through all the trouble to pretend to be students?" I asked.

"First of all, it's easier to obtain information without raising awareness and making all the students panic. Secondly, whatever is going on over there, Jose and I believe it's better to act with caution. If it were a real threat, we don't want to alert the enemy of our existence and let them have a chance to escape or let them find out about our investigation." Master explained. "And thirdly, isn't it more fun that way?" He grinned cheekily as he said that.

"I see…" Natsu said.

"Then what about me?" Levy inquired. "Why do you need me?"

"In order to better understand every student's and all the staff's perspective on this matter, Jose has split the nine of you into four groups, representative of everybody in the school. But he realized that he needed one more person to be a Year 1 student. I just thought that Levy's appearance, height and all, fit that role excellently."

"Oh, you want us to gather information as students?" Levy responded.

Master nodded. "Or teachers." Master had a gleeful smile on his face which made me wonder what he was up to. "And now I'll tell you all your roles! Erza, you and two others from the Element 4 will be teachers."

"Yes, Master," Erza acknowledged.

"Their names are Sol and Aria. I don't have pictures of any of Jose's people but I reckon you'll all be able to identify them." Master said. Next, he called "Natsu!"

"Yes!" Natsu replied staunchly like a soldier.

"You will be a Year 3 student with Totomaru from the Element 4."

Natsu and I briefly exchanged glances, in our minds lingered the same question.

"Just me?" Natsu asked.

But Master Makarov answered, "Yes, just you from Fairy Tail." And I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Gray, Lucy, you two will be Year 2 students along with Juvia from Element 4." Master continued. "And Levy, you'll be a Year 1 with Gajeel. My advice to you would be to beware of that guy."

Worry formed on Levy's face when she asked, "Is he a bad guy?"

"Well… not exactly. It's just that his personality is not exactly amicable and easygoing. But don't worry, you two aren't in the same class." Master assured her. "But on the other hand, Lucy, you and Gray are in the same class because I need you to look out for Gray's compulsive stripping habit."

_What?! That's stupid! _I wanted to complain. But I think Master sensed my reluctance and continued speaking, "Our cover will be blown if he even strips off his top. So stick together, and help everybody out by keeping Gray's shirt on."

I could not help but feel slightly peeved by this order and by Gray's stupid habit. But deep down, the logical side of me understood Master's underlying concern and I had to think about the big picture.

Erza couldn't possibly be the one doing this because she had to become one of the teachers, and a teacher following a student around all the time is just impossible. That would be like stalking.

Natsu definitely wasn't up to the task. He would only constantly pick fights with Gray and that will just make Gray strip his shirt off unreservedly. So, naturally and unfortunately, I was stuck with this task.

Levy was too gentle and she wouldn't be firm with Gray. Also, she hadn't teamed up with him before, so I was the best choice…

"One more thing before you all go," Master said. "You will all use your Edolas counterparts' names so as to keep your identities hidden."

Some of us nodded in response and some murmured "okay".

"Remember, kids. This mission has to be very low profile. You _cannot _blow your cover, understood?"

"Yes, Master!" We yelled in unison.

"Alright, dismissed!" Master exclaimed. Just as I turned, he called me back, "Wait, Lucy. Stay behind a while so we can do something about your insignia." _Ah right, because it's a dead giveaway. _

* * *

"…And that's how you arrive at the answer for x."

_Brriiiinnngg…! _The school bell went off, marking the end of the third lesson of the morning.

"Alright, class, I'll stop here for today." Restless chatter had stirred up amongst my classmates and our math teacher had to raise his voice so he could be heard. _Why did everybody become restless all of a sudden? _

We all stood and thanked him, and after he walked out of the room, the noise level in the class went up. The students seemed to gather into different groups of people whom they were closer to and they began talking away animatedly. Some of them even exited the classroom. _Where were they going? What's going on? _

I was going to ask Juvia, but when I turned towards her, I immediately understood. She had taken out a bento and was preparing to eat. _It was lunch time. _

I was about to ask her what should I do if I haven't brought any food, but then a group of students came up to my table. They seemed like friendly students who wanted to help a fellow new student get used to the environment.

"Hey! It's Lucy, right?" One of them said.

I nodded.

"Do you want to have lunch at the cafeteria with us?" Another guy asked. At that point I realized that it was an all-male group and I didn't really want to join them. _It would only turn into an awkward situation. _

My eyes strayed as I wondered how I could politely reject their offer. And then, from the corner of my eye, I saw Gray's fingers undoing the top button of his school uniform! _Uh-oh. _

Frenziedly, I jumped up and got to Gray's seat within a few large strides. I grabbed his hand, snatching it away from his buttons. "Stop," I said in a low, threatening whisper. "And button your shirt back up _right now._" He was taken aback momentarily, clearly completely unaware that he was about to strip.

I let go of his hand and he did as he was told, putting the top button of his shirt back together and fixing his loose tie. _Crisis adverted. _But to be honest, I knew I got lucky because I hadn't really paid attention to Gray throughout the first 3 hours of school today.

"Eh… Lucy?" That guy from the group was expecting a response. _What should I say? _

"I–"

"Lucy can't have lunch with you guys because she's eating with me," Gray cut me off. Then his chair scratched against the floor noisily as he stood up and headed for the door. Somehow he seemed ice cold, rather than his usual cool self. That caught me by surprise.

I had never partnered up with Gray before. It was always Natsu only, or Natsu, Gray and Erza, the four of us as a team. And as such, we did not share tacit agreements or thoughts at all, _unlike when I paired with Natsu…_

As I stood at his seat like a woodblock, Gray, who was about to step out of the classroom, yelled, "Are you coming?"

"Uh, yeah!" I quickly snapped back to attention, recovering from that stunned moment of surprise. I said to the group of guys, "Sorry about that!" And then I looked at Juvia, who was quietly eating alone, "See you later, Juvia!"

Then I ran to catch up with Gray who had already walked off into the corridors.

The inside of the school building matched the outside. The building's exterior, made of stone, looked like a formidable fortress and an impressive castle. Similarly, the inside was just as magnificent.

In the corridors, I walked alongside Gray, following his lead.

"You should stay away from those guys," Gray told me.

"Why?"

"… …" He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. He struggled for a while and then he sighed. "They are interested in you because of your appearance." He finally managed to say.

A soft 'oh' came from me. _No wonder the group only consisted of guys… _

_That's– I didn't know how I should describe this realization. _On the one hand, I was irritated by those guys, but on the other hand, I was thankful towards Gray for looking out for me. _Clearly, I had no idea what people could be like outside of my perfect mansion and outside of Fairy Tail. _

"Hey, what do you mean by my 'appearance'?" I asked. I didn't know whether I was supposed to be offended.

"Geh–?! That's… Um, you know… That– your appearance means your appearance." He stammered awkwardly and then I knew what he meant. He was referring to my figure, specifically the upper half of my torso plus the uniform skirt I wore like all my other miniskirts.

I sighed when I thought about the degree of superficiality of that group of guys earlier. Fortunately I had real friends who did not like me because of how I looked or dressed.

"So, are we really going to have lunch or were you just saying that to fend them off?" I changed the subject.

"Err… both." He said.

Then I had a thought. "Oh! Let's go find Natsu and Levy and have lunch together!"

"Ok," he said coolly. "Do you know what classes they are in?"

"No…" I replied. _I hadn't a clue. _

"Then let's just go to the cafeteria. Maybe we'll see them there."

"Okay, just lead the way," I said.

Gray halted abruptly. "What do you mean 'lead the way'? I thought you knew where you were going."

"Huh? I was just following you!"

"Urgh, that's just great! Now where are we?"

I hadn't paid any attention to the direction we walked in, and apparently, neither did Gray. So now we were lost. I surveyed the surroundings. We were still in the hallways, but it seemed like we had ended up in another part of the building.

_I can't tell what it was about this area. _Maybe it was the fact that the colour of the stone-brick walls had faded, or because the height of the ceiling seemed to have gotten higher and the width of the walkway narrowed… or maybe it was simply because the corridor was completely void of students… _Something just felt different. _

"Do you remember which way we came from?" Gray asked as he walked off to explore some more while I just stood there.

I shook my head.

The corridor was really long and whichever direction I looked, I could not see the end. Both ways looked the same to me, equally desolate and equally endless. But we had to have come from one of these ends, _so which one is it? _

Gray slid open the door to one of the rooms along the corridor and went in.

"Hey! Don't just enter rooms randomly," I reproached as I chased after him.

When I got to that room, I saw that it was exactly like a classroom, except that there was a grand piano at the front. It was a music classroom.

Gray was lingering around the grand piano, inspecting it for some reason.

"I think we should get out of here, Gray." _This place sends a creepy feeling down my spine. _

"There's something odd about this piano." He said as he stared at the inside of the piano.

"Maybe it's spoiled. That's why nobody's here."

When he didn't reply, I said, "Come on, let's get to the cafeteria." I was eager to leave.

"Okay." He said, and then we left the room, closing the door behind us.

"Which way?" I asked.

He looked left and right towards both ends of the hallway. "This way." He said and began walking.

"How do you know it's this way?" I kept pace with him.

"The number plate above that room was M-02. Down the hallway was M-03, probably leading to more music rooms. But the way we came from should pass by M-01."

_That was observant. _I had forgotten how smart Gray could be.

When we got back to a more familiar area, we asked some students where the cafeteria was and they kindly walked us there.

The whole place looked very much like Fairy Tail's dining hall, what with all the rectangular tables. I looked around, searching the crowd for a head of spiky pink hair. But my heart sank when I couldn't find him.

I followed Gray wordlessly to the food queue. Just when I was feeling bored waiting in line, someone called my name.

"Luuuucy…!" _More like shouted it actually. _

I recognized that high voice and I searched the mass of people for my other best friend. I spotted her blue hair first. Then I watched her petite frame squeeze through the gaps between people as she headed towards me.

"Levy!" I exclaimed and hugged her as soon as she got to me. _At least I've found one of my best friends. _

She quickly hugged me back. "Lu-chan, thank goodness I found you! And you as well, Gray."

"Is something wrong?" I questioned, detecting slight alarm in her voice.

"Nope," she said. "Just that… Gajeel is really scary."

"Really? Did he do something to you?"

"Um… no." She said. "I accidentally bumped into him along the corridor on my way here and he glared daggers at me. I was so afraid that I ran away as quickly as I could!"

"Huh, sounds exactly as unfriendly as gramps said he would be." Gray remarked.

"Makes me wonder what someone like him is even doing on this–" I was about to say 'mission' but I stopped short when I realized I was in a cafeteria full of normal non-magic people. "I mean, I wonder what he's even doing here."

We carried on with our conversation as we inched forward in the queue. When we got our food, we sat together and ate our lunch, catching up with everything that had happened that morning. I told her about our morning and she told us about hers. I also told her about meeting Juvia, and Gray told her about the group of guys who invited me to lunch with them.

"Douchebags!" Levy commented. "Wait till I tell Natsu about this!"

"What for?" I asked.

"So he'll bash them up!" She exclaimed all too excitedly, gesturing wildly as well.

_I'm not sure that he would… _I wanted to say, but then I realized something. "Do you know which class Natsu is in, Levy?"

"No, I don't."

"Oh," I said. A pang of disappointment hit me again.

"What class are you in?" Gray asked Levy.

"1-03! What about you two?"

"2-01," Gray replied.

"Hmm, best class of Year 2. Master must have told Jose that you two were smart."

"How many classes are there in a level?" _If the classes were ranked according to the students' intellectual ability, then Jose might have put Natsu in the bottom half. _

"I heard there are only 10 classes per level? And there are only 20-25 students in each class." Levy said. "Kinda small huh? But it's a private school after all."

_10 classes, 200 odd students in each level. _I wondered if I could find Natsu if I walked along the fourth floor corridor where all the Year 3 classes were.

"Oh! Look at the time! We should get back to class!" Levy exclaimed. I looked up at the analogue clock on the wall to see that it was almost 1pm. And then I noticed that the cafeteria was nowhere as packed as it was just a while ago.

"Let's get going." Gray said.

And so, Levy went back to the second floor (where all the Year 1 classrooms were) and Gray and I returned to the third floor. Classes resumed promptly at 1pm, but my mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, Juvia," I whispered halfway through history lesson.

Juvia responded by turning to look at me but did not say a word.

"When's the next break?" I whispered.

"There is only one break today," Juvia said.

I sighed at her answer. _I wanted to look for Natsu. _

"But lessons end at 3pm."

My spirits were instantly lifted by that statement. "Thanks, Juvia!" I said softly.

Juvia nodded and then she turned her attention back to the history teacher again. I checked on Gray again, to make sure he wasn't stripping. I was pleased to find that he had fallen asleep, so I spent the rest of the lesson staring out the window.

For a certain radius around Phantom Lord Academy, there were no buildings surrounding the school. All I could see were green pastures with small silhouettes of Oak Town's buildings in the background. It made for a perfectly peaceful learning environment and I wondered whether Jose Porla had intended for it to be so.

_He probably did, _I concluded.

* * *

After history lesson was an hour of geography, followed by an hour of chemistry. When it was finally 3pm, I jumped up energetically and was about to whizz out of class when I realized I could not leave Gray alone.

_Well, it can't be helped then. _"Gray, let's go find Natsu." I said.

"Oh, ok." He agreed freely.

When we got to the fourth floor, we walked along the corridors and looked into each classroom as we walked by.

As we walked past 3-01, even though it was unlikely that Jose Porla would put Natsu in the best class, I still looked in. But he was not there.

We did the same for 3-02, 3-03, 3-04, 3-05… We walked to the end of the hallway right up to 3-10, but we could not find Natsu. _Why's he not here? Where was he? _An aching feeling grew within me as I was met with disappointment after disappointment.

As Gray and I walked back in the direction we came from, we checked each classroom again but to no avail. However, when we walked past 3-05, we discovered a familiar face.

"Hey, it's that guy." Gray was the one who recognized him first.

_It's the guy from the shoe department in Hargeon Town last year! _

"Oh, yeah…!" I exclaimed as I realized it. His very distinguishable black-and-white split hair was tied up in the same manner as when I had first met him.

"Shit, we can't let him see us because he knows who we are," Gray hastily grabbed me by my arm and walked off before that guy could see us.

"Do you think Natsu knows that and so he's avoiding him too?" _It would explain why Natsu isn't on this floor… _

"Probably." The dejection on my face must have been so apparent that Gray said, "I'm roommates with that flamehead. So I'll just ask him what's his class later when I see him, okay?"

I smiled, knowing that this was his way of making me feel better. "Okay."

"Then, let's go back to the dorm now."

I nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The dormitory was another marvelous building and it sat on a hill outside of Oak Town. It was nothing like Fairy Hills at all. When Gray and I got there, we were greeted by Erza. She did not wear her usual Heart Kreuz armour, but was in plain clothes (a white sleeveless, collared blouse with a blue necktie and ruffles down the center and her usual blue skirt).

_Of course, we had to call her Knightwalker sensei. _She was the teacher-in-charge and the matron of the Phantom Lord dormitory, and so she told us all about the dormitory.

The first thing I learnt was that the Phantom Lord dormitory was much larger than Fairy Hills. There were five floors altogether in the main building and eight in each of the West and East towers. Above the fifth floor of the main building, Erza said there was a planetarium within the dome-shaped roof. I made a mental note to go there some time.

The fourth floor had 120 rooms for female students and the third floor had 120 rooms for male students. There were 8 larger, more prestigious rooms located in each of the West and East towers. Erza did not show us the planetarium or the rooms, but she gave us a tour through the second floor which had the dining hall and other amenities like an indoor swimming pool and a library.

It was around 4pm when the tour ended at the first floor in the great room. The entire first floor only had one room, which was Erza's bedroom. Everything else was just considered to be part of the great room.

The high ceiling raised the grandeur of the great room. A fireplace was built into one side of the room, and it greeted everyone who entered from the main. Dimly lit, the homey velvet sofas surrounding the fireplace created a cozy sitting area.

"Would you like to see your own rooms now?" Erza asked.

Gray and I nodded. _I can't wait to see if my room is equally as splendid as the rest of this place! _

"Here are your lacrima card keys! Gray, the teleport pad for the East tower is there," Erza pointed towards it as she said. "I'll follow Lucy first and check on you later."

"Okay, see ya," Gray took the card key and left.

Erza and I proceeded to the other teleport pad and she activated it with my card key. We reappeared at the highest room in the West tower where I was pleasantly met with a lovely room. At a glance, I could tell neither Juvia nor Levy was here yet.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Erza said as I took in the sight of this room.

"Very," I answered.

The simple but classily-decorated room had three double beds and it was linked to a private bath. _It was definitely a room for the more privileged. _

"My room's really beautiful too, which just goes to show how important this mission is to Jose Porla…" Erza said.

I nodded in agreement, once again reminded why I was here.

"Alright, dinner is at 7pm. I'm going to check on Gray now." Erza waved as she stepped onto the teleport pad and disappeared after being bathed in lacrima-coloured glowing light.

I spent the rest of the time until 7pm unpacking my stuff.

At dinner time, I was hoping to see Natsu in the dining hall.

_But he never showed up. _

* * *

Late at night, I tossed and turned in bed. I was tired but could not sleep because I kept worrying about Natsu. It was 23:32, according to the clock. Even if he had been missing all day, he would have to be in bed by now. Yet, even though I knew he would be at the top of the East tower, even though I knew where he was right now, I was unable to see him. _That frustrated me. _

Knowing where he was but not being able to go see him_ downright frustrates me. _

With that nagging anxiety in my head, I struggled to fall asleep. I told myself I would see him tomorrow, because Gray would have asked for his class by then. I told myself he was fine, because he's Natsu. But the turmoil within me would not calm.

In the end, I gave up trying to fall asleep and got out of bed. I paced around the bedroom two, three times, and then I stopped right in front of the teleport pad. _There's no way I could see him right now, because 1) girls were not allowed on the third floor or in the East tower where the boys' rooms were, and 2) he was in the East tower, even if I wanted to be a rule-breaker, I had no card key._

_Urgh, why did security have to be so good? _

But staring at the teleport pad in my room, it seemed to beckon me. Hesitating, I turned towards Levy and Juvia. They were sound asleep in their respective beds. _They wouldn't even notice I was gone. _For safety reasons, I checked that I still wore my Horologium and Leo keys around my neck underneath my pink pajamas top.

And then I stepped onto the teleport pad.

* * *

I reappeared at the ground floor in the great room. The place was utterly silent, save for the crackling flames that flickered in the fireplace. There was no sign of anybody. _I figured as much, everybody must be asleep. _Carelessly, I walked toward the fireplace, intending to settle down on one of those inviting sofas.

"Lucy?" A voice I knew called. I stopped in my tracks, ten steps away from the 3-seater in the center.

_…! _

My heart began to pump faster and harder.

It was silent for the next moment and I pondered over whether I was hearing things. _I can't see him; he's lying down on the sofa…? _

Probably because I didn't make a sound after he called my name, he got up from the 3-seater to look. And I could see that it was, _unquestionably, _Natsu.

A million questions flooded my mind all at once. _What are you doing here? Where have you been all day? Are you alright? _But there were so many things I wanted to ask, I ended up not being able to utter a single word.

Soundlessly and slowly, I walked over to him. I took the few strides to calm my rapid heartbeat and to sort out the thoughts in my head. And when I finally stood before him, I managed to say, "Can't sleep?"

Taking me by surprise, he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. His overwhelming heat consumed me, and I realized how much I missed my partner's warmth.

"I finally get to see you today." At last he whispered, and then he let me go.

All the worries that previously weighed in my mind vanished. I no longer compelled to ask him those questions. All I did was smile and say, "I couldn't sleep either."

"Then… what should we do?" He asked.

"I duno," I answered. The two of us stood somewhat awkwardly between the fireplace and the 3-seater velvet settee.

"It's late already. There's nothing for us to do now." Natsu said as he sank down onto the sofa.

I sat down beside him and for the next few minutes, I watched the fireplace. I watched how the flame danced around as we enjoyed each other's silent company.

"Hey," Natsu said, disrupting the quiet.

"Hmm?"

"Why can't you sleep?"

"Erm… I, um…" I hemmed and hawed. _Why exactly? I wasn't too sure myself. _

"The bed feels weird," Natsu offered his own explanation. "Besides, I didn't do anything exciting at all today, so I'm not the least bit tired."

"Where were you today?" I suddenly asked. I wanted to know why I could not find him.

"Ugh… Don't really want to talk about today…" He groaned. "Today was hell; 3 hours of boring class. And then when it was break time, I was starving but I couldn't get away. The people in my class kept bugging me, asking me about my hair colour and my scarf."

I giggled as I tried to imagine Natsu at his table, surrounded by all his curious, friendly classmates, with a flustered expression.

"It's not funny! It was kinda troubling because I just wanted to go eat, and go find you. But I couldn't just ignore them and be rude. I mean, I have to make friends with these people so I can gather information later on. So then, by the time they were done questioning me, recess was already over."

_That's why I didn't see him during recess… _

"How was your day?" The accumulated fatigue from today was setting in and I was beginning to feel sleepy when he asked.

"It was okay," I said. "I have Juvia and Gray in the same class, so I'm alright even though I can't bring all my keys everywhere with me…"

"Sounds better than my class already. Even with perverted boxers in there."

I yawned widely and stretched my arms out.

"Tired now?"

"Yeah… Somehow I feel sleepier after coming down here…" I spoke softly; it was softer than a whisper. But I knew he could hear me.

"You wanna go back to your room?"

I shook my head. "No," I said without hesitation. _I couldn't say it, but in actual fact, I just wanted to be next to him right now. _

"Then… I'll lend you my shoulder, or my arm, whatever you like. Just lean on me." Without looking at him, I could hear him smiling.

Taking him up on that offer, I stretched my legs out across the other side of the couch and leaned my back wholly against his side. It felt kind of unbalanced actually… But then, he read my mind and adjusted his position.

I ended up lying beside him, my head resting on his bicep, his chest now at my eye level. This position… felt way too intimate. _But I couldn't care less. _

"I got held back after school too," Natsu continued with the conversation as we both lay there. "My homeroom teacher said I needed to choose an extra-curricular activity because I'm a Year 3 student." Not being able to see his face, I focused on his voice a lot more.

_His voice was low, smoky, and I realized how much I liked it. _

"Did you choose one?" I asked dreamily. My eyelids drooped and threatened to close.

"Nope… He walked around school with me all afternoon, showing me all the activities the school offers. He made me miss dinner time!" As I listened to him, I snuggled into his chest, subconsciously getting into a more comfortable sleeping position.

"And the thing is, I'm not even a real student and I don't need to join whatever after school activity. But I can't _tell _him that because I have to be like all the others. So I told him I'll think about it…"

In this absolute comfort, _in his warm embrace,_ my eyelids fluttered close and I eventually drifted off to sleep.

_There I lay, until the next morning. _

_[To be continued…] _

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait! It's been about 2.5-3 weeks I think? I wanted to finish this in 2 weeks but couldn't find the time. Anyway… it's long chapter…! 6000+ words! **

**But… I apologize for this filler-like beginning of this chapter, because I had to lay the ground for the next few chapters… But I hope you guys liked the ending! ^^ **

**I think, starting from the next few chapters I have to cook up fake names for Lucy's classmates and stuff… I've always stuck to the original FT setting because I feel it's the most relatable and it'll make things easy for me to write and for readers to imagine, but… In this case I think I really have no choice if they have to talk to random people and gather information~ So yep. If you see strange names from the next episode onwards, they would probably be Lucy's classmates or something… (P.S. Ikaruga is a real character in FT in case you forgot!) **

**Anyway! This chapter is about how Lucy is so used to having Natsu around, and so used to having him sleep in the same bed as her, that she easily feels unsettled when she doesn't see him after a few hours and doesn't know how he's doing. So she worries and stuff. **

**Thank you for reading/reviewing/following my story /for making this story one of your favourites! ^^**

****Updated on 28/4/2013 – I edited the language for the last part! **


	21. Chapter 15: My Protector

**~ My Protector ~**

That morning, when I opened my eyes, the first person I saw was not Natsu but Erza. She stood by the sofa and just looked at me with an unreadable expression.

Still in a half-awake state, I hadn't fully registered the situation. Wearily I rubbed the sleepiness out of my right eye and muttered, "Erza?" _Why's she standing there? And how long had she been standing there? _

"You…" She said, visibly staggered by something…

And then I became aware of the warmth around me.

Natsu radiated with heat, and he trapped me with his limbs. His arm wrapped around my waist kept me close, while his other was my pillow. One of his legs was thrown over mine and prevented me from moving. I was stuck.

"What are the two of you doing?" Erza almost shouted, having finally regained her ability to speak.

_Ah… that's right. _I unintentionally met up with Natsu last night and fell asleep beside him.

As I panicked internally, wondering how I should explain this to Erza, Natsu stirred from his sleep. His leg lifted and freed me as he shifted, but his movement didn't stop there. First, he rolled over, onto his back. And then he rolled off the sofa.

Erza reflexively backed away, leaving Natsu to land on the rug with a carpeted thud. Immediately, I sat up and checked on him.

"Ouch, Lucy. What'dja do?" Natsu muttered as he began to awaken.

"I didn't do anything, you idiot," I chided without any real anger in my voice.

"You guys…" Erza spoke again. "Did the two of you sleep here all night?!" Although she shouted, she wasn't angry. It sounded more like she was surprised.

"Morning, Erza. Yeah, we did," Natsu answered nonchalantly and rather sunnily as he sat up.

_Ugh… _I feared to know what Erza thought of this whole thing. _I wanted Virgo to come out and dig a hole for me to crawl into…_ I couldn't even make up some excuse because who knows how long she had been standing there and watching us.

"Do you do this all the time?" Erza still raised her voice in that same incredulous tone.

"Oh yeah, pretty much," Natsu replied casually. _Oh, just stop talking, _I wanted to say.

Instead I said "But last night was completely unplanned." It was a feeble attempt to make things look better.

Just then, the large grandfather clock that was in-built into the brick wall above the fireplace chimed and it got all our attention. It was 7am.

"Ok, look," Erza said. It seemed like the fact sank in and she accepted it. She regained her composure and spoke sternly. "It's going to be 7:30 soon and everyone will be coming down for breakfast. So get out of here. Go back to your rooms, wash up and go for breakfast. Do _NOT _do this again. It's fortunate that I woke up earlier today…" At this point, I noticed she wore her purple pajamas with pink Heart Kreuz prints. "…so I'm the first to discover this, but if it were anybody else… well," Erza didn't have to finish her sentence.

I knew what she meant. Word will spread, rumours will fly, and it'll be more difficult to do our job when we become the center of attention, watched by everybody in the school. But on the other hand, she didn't seem to mind Natsu and me sleeping together. _On the same sofa I mean. _

Natsu looked at me without saying anything. I knew what that look was for.

"I understand," I told Erza. I liked last night as much as Natsu did, but there's no helping it.

_Hold up – since when have I liked sleeping in the same bed as Natsu? _

But before I could spend any time pondering over that pertinent question, Erza chased us off again. "Hurry up, go back to your rooms."

Natsu said, "I'll see you at breakfast!" and then he ran off to the East telepad (short for teleport pad). I was about to do the same, except I realized I didn't bring my card key down with me last night.

"Come, I'll walk you up," Erza conveniently offered. But she didn't do so because she knew I'd forgotten my card key. _Did she want something from me? _

After activating the telepad with her master card key, we arrived in my room. I was initially surprised to find the bedroom empty, but soon I realized that someone was in the shower. However, the other person who also lives here had already left the room.

As I wondered whether it was Levy or Juvia in the shower, Erza got my attention again.

"Lucy," she called. I looked at her; her expression was dead serious, like something was severely wrong. _This must be why she came up with me. _

"Yes?" I acknowledged.

"Did you and Natsu sleep together?"

I was about to give her the seemingly obvious answer being "Yeah, didn't you just see us?" when I realized that that wasn't what she meant. She meant the _other _implied meaning behind those two elusive words "sleep together". _No wonder her face looked like that. _

"W-what are you saying?" I said with a blush.

"Did you?" She repeated herself, with great worry darkening her eyes.

"You think Natsu and I– No!" I exclaimed, and then, in a much calmer tone, I reaffirmed my answer, "No, we didn't."

She gave a huge sigh of relief at my response and her face immediately lit up. "Phew~! For a moment there I was really concerned."

"What's there to worry about? He's Natsu."

"Hah! That's true," she said. "But even if he is Natsu, he's still a hot-blooded young guy, not to mention, a fire-element dragon slayer."

"You have nothing to worry about," I reassured her. "We may sleep in the same bed, but it's not like that. Besides, Natsu doesn't even see me like that. He probably doesn't think of me as a girl at all."

"I wonder about that…" Erza said pensively. "I'll never let him off if he takes advantage of you like that, not that I think he will. But… I worry about you. You're a kind-hearted girl who hates troubling others, and so you don't really tell me about your troubles. I feel like something's bothering you but you never talk about it… I worry I won't know if something happens to you."

_Is that what Erza thinks of me? But she's right._ Other than Natsu, I haven't let other people in Fairy Tail know that I am Lucy Heartfilia and that I have run away from home.

I smiled at those words. "Thank you, Erza." _For always looking out for me. _

"Anytime. See you at breakfast." She turned and disappeared at the telepad.

* * *

The whole team student team plus Erza met up during breakfast. We sat at a table in a secluded corner of the dining hall and I received two surprises.

Surprise number 1 was Gajeel. He was a long black spiky-haired dude with lots of piercings, but that's not all… _He's a metal dragon slayer! _Yes, the same kind of animal as Natsu! The first thing I thought of was _what the heck, there're two of them?! _But unlike Natsu, he was very reticent, just like everybody else had said before. Mostly he just chomped on his food in the corner and didn't speak. So then, who told me he was a metal dragon slayer?

Totomaru – surprise number 2. He's that black-white split-haired guy from the Hargeon shoe department! _What a coincidence right? _Also, he uses fire magic like Natsu! _Coincidence x2! _

Somewhere in between, while we were having breakfast, Juvia slipped away without anyone noticing; I only noticed her absence. But at 08:20, after finishing breakfast, the remaining 6 of us left for school.

As we sauntered through Oak Town, the sky rumbled and turned gray. The next thing I knew, a raindrop fell on my cheek.

I wiped the droplet off and looked up. Suddenly, it began to pour. Yet, I stood rooted to the ground as I looked to the sky. Somehow, I felt an impassive gloom exude from this rain; it was a familiar sadness that I knew but at that point could not recognize. What is it about this rain that makes me feel like this?

"Lucy, c'mon," Natsu broke my daze.

I looked around and saw that everyone had gone ahead, running to get out of the rain. Natsu held his book bag over my head in an attempt to shelter me from the rain. But the rain was unrelenting and inexorable. It drenched everything in a matter of seconds from the moment the first drop landed on the ground.

_It's like someone is crying tears of loneliness …and drowning in these tears of loneliness. _

"At least get out of the rain," Natsu said when I didn't respond to him, and then he pulled me by my hand to the nearest shelter he could find. The shelter was a small rectangular pavilion made of stone.

While I stayed transfixed on the rain, a gust of hot air rushed past and my clothes all dried. I stared incredulously at Natsu as I thought, _human drying machine…_

"The rain smells like that woman."

I gave him a questioning look.

"Juvia," he explained. "The rain woman."

_How can all this come from one person…?!_

"My nose is never wrong," Natsu, sensing my disbelief, reconfirmed.

And for the next few minutes or so, we stood there in solemn silence. If we just left, it would feel like we were abandoning our comrade in times of despair. I wanted to wait it out, and I knew Natsu shared my thoughts, and so we waited.

In the beginning, Phantom Lord Academy students would walk past us or run by. The girl who sat in front of me in class (I didn't know her name) even stopped by and offered to share her umbrella with me, but I told her that it's alright.

Gradually, the number of students passing by decreased. When nobody went by this path anymore, we knew it was going to be 9am and we were late for lessons. Nevertheless, for who knows how long, we continued to watch the rain quietly. All the while, I thought about Juvia.

* * *

The rain persisted.

A while later I broke the silence. "Hey, Natsu."

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever felt like this before? Juvia's degree of sadness…"

"What? Eh. No, I don't think I've ever…" Natsu answered. "I felt sad when Igneel disappeared, but it just made me more determined to find him."

"That's true… It's you after all."

"What about Lucy?"

I paused to think of how I should reply him, and then I said, "I have." I glanced at him and he was intrigued.

Turning back to the pouring rain, I continued softly, "It was that time when Mama died. I'll never forget how that feels. Even though everyone at the mansion was there for me, it just isn't the same…"

Natsu was quiet as he listened to me go on. "…Sometimes when I think of her I still feel sad, but not like before. With each passing day the feeling fades, but… I never forget. She's always in my heart… She's Mama after all; she's special. _Ah-re?_" _A raindrop? _

_No, it's a tear. _Unbeknownst to me, a tear had rolled down my cheek and I realized what it was. When it reached the bottom of my chin, I wiped it away with the back of my hand.

"Lucy…"

"I'm okay." I quickly said. _I think the rain just made me extra emotional, that's all. _

But even though I said that, more tears began streaming down and I didn't know why. I wiped them away profusely, but more and more kept coming down just like the rain.

"H-hey, what's the matter?" Natsu sounded at a loss.

The tears clouded my eyes and I couldn't see his face clearly. Each time I wiped them, they would just resurface. _I wanted to stop but I couldn't stop! They wouldn't stop falling! _

"Sorry," I muttered. I knew guys felt weird around girls who were crying. As I wiped them away, I saw Natsu looking a little flustered before the tears welled up and spilled over again.

"Ah… no, you don't have to apologize."

Still, the tears kept flowing down, causing Natsu to exasperatedly exclaim, "Argh!" And then his arm went round my shoulders and crushed me to his chest. _In that instant, I completely fell apart. _

I buried my face into his scarf and my hands tightly gripped at his school shirt. I felt him tuck my head under his chin and then, his other hand lightly rest on my head. Gently and soothingly, he stroked my hair.

"Don't cry," his deep voice said. "Usually when you cry I just have to beat someone up. But when it's like this, I don't know what to do…"

"I'm sorry," my voice was muffled by his scarf.

"Shh… It's alright, everything's alright. Lucy's Mama may not be around anymore, but you have Fairy Tail now; you have me." I felt his smile at the end of that sentence and I nodded into his scarf. _Mama is special to me, but so is Natsu. _

A moment passed and the tears stopped flowing. Perhaps from the fading sound of my sobs, or perhaps from the way my grip on his shirt loosened, he sensed that I had calmed down and released me.

"Sorry, I think Juvia's emotions kind of seeped into me for a moment," I said. "And thank you."

"Lucy's Mama amongst the stars would hate me if I didn't take good care of you, especially after you ran away from home just to join Fairy Tail." He joked. "So smile!"

I did; upon hearing those words, I lightened up and smiled. It was then that I noticed that the rain had stopped.

"Shall we–"

"AH–! It's Juvia!" Natsu yelled.

I whipped round to look and there she was, walking past the pavilion unhurriedly holding a pink parasol with hearts a shade pinker and white frills along the edge.

"Juvia!" I called out to her. She stopped midway and Natsu and I ran towards her.

"Lucy, Natsu," she said, still having a blank face but with justa _hint _of added expression in her voice. _Something good happened and it definitely cheered her up a little. I'm so glad! _

"Shall we go to class together?" I smiled and said.

Seemingly taken aback by my offer, she hesitated and then she nodded.

By the time Juvia and I got to class, it was already nearing the end of first period. When we walked in, the teacher reprimanded us and demanded to know why we were late. Juvia covered for me by saying it was because she didn't feel well and that I stayed behind to look after her. _I wonder how Natsu dealt with his teacher. Oh well, I'll just ask him later. _

_Wait a minute… I still haven't asked him for his class! How am I going to find him later?! Sigh… _

* * *

About five hours later, all ten of us were summoned to the director's office. It was our first official meeting but it didn't last very long.

Director Jose Porla, also one of the Ten Wizard Saints, was a man with a long, sharp face. His hair was black with hues of red and it was long enough to be tied up. He wore a military-style blue coat and he wore his Wizard Saint's medallion around the neck of his collar (like a necktie too). He rested his elbows on his desk, his fingers intertwined with each other and he leaned forward as he spoke to us.

"Welcome to Phantom Lord. I am the director of this school, Jose Porla," he began. "I trust Makarov has already told all of you what's going on."

Everyone from Fairy Tail nodded.

"Good," Jose Porla continued. "It's the second day of the new school year so there aren't any new cases. However, I would like you to begin by investigating the previous reports_._

"There's not much we can do until we find out what exactly is going on and either confirm or dismiss the occurrence of such incidences, hopefully dismiss. And therefore, I would like everyone to patrol the different areas of the school in pairs, every day and every night until we find out what's going on."

"Just ten of us? But the academy is so huge." Erza said.

"Five teams are enough, one to focus on one area." Jose Porla replied. Then he patted a small stack of papers before him and said, "Over here are the reports of all the sightings from the students. There has been a total of 17 sightings altogether, all of which occurred in just 5 areas around the school compound."

"Then… what are our groupings?" I asked uncertainly.

"About that…" Jose Porla pondered for a moment. "Makarov has only left one instruct, and that is to pair Natsu and Lucy together…"

I lit up at that reply.

"Alright!" Natsu exclaimed and punched the air. I smiled at his reaction.

"…Although why is that, he didn't say. In any case, for the rest of you, I will randomly pair one from Fairy Tail and one from my side so… Gray and Juvia," he pointed as he said their names. "Erza and Sol, Aria and Totomaru, and… Gajeel, I'm afraid you can't work solo this time round; you have to pair with Levy."

"Hm," Gajeel in the corner of the office brusquely grunted in acknowledgement.

I shot Levy a concerned look. _Was she going to be okay? _She shrugged in response. I suppose that meant 'I'll see how it goes'.

"Most of the pairs are according to your Year so as to make things more convenient. Alright," Jose Porla then split the single pile of reports into five less significant stacks. "I've separated the reports according to their locations. Each pair come and get a stack."

I stepped forward and grabbed the one closest to me. I skimmed through the cover sheet:

**Sighting of Ghost on 05 September X784**

_Written by: Tachibana Yuki (Secretary, Student Councilor) _

_Reported by: Boze and Sue (Students of Class 207)_

_Date: 05 September X784_

_Time: Around 7pm _

_Location: Parapet_

_Summary: Black, faceless ghost sighted at the parapets. _

_Other Remarks: – _

"Read through them, understand what's going on. Choose a suitable time to patrol the area based on these students' reports. You'll notice that some of these sightings are in the day, which is why I find them pretty hard to believe." He paused and sighed before carrying on, "But nevertheless, you must get to the bottom of this matter. Do whatever you have to do. If you need to patrol during official school hours, please go ahead. I will excuse you from lessons or from your teacher duties, whatever you need. You have my full support."

"Understood." Gray answered on our behalves.

"I will crush anything that threatens Phantom Lord's safety." Totomaru said.

"How sad! The sadness of these students is overwhelming!" Aria cried and began to actually cry through the piece of white cloth that covered his eyes.

"My monocle whispers to me and it tells me we'll find out what's going on soon, Master," Sol adjusted his lens as he said. This was my first time meeting Aria and Sol and…_ what weirdoes…!_

"Juvia will not disappoint you." Juvia spoke.

"Thank you everybody. There's nothing else so you may leave now." Jose Porla dismissed us.

* * *

Just outside the director's office, everybody lingered for a moment before spreading out and going to their respective locations.

"Hey," Erza called and I looked up from my papers. "Everyone, make sure your identities stay hidden and remember to act appropriately." It was more of a reminder for the other four of us who were from Fairy Tail.

"Uh-huh." I said.

"Okay, Erza," Levy answered.

"Of course!" Natsu replied.

"We're a pro at doing that already so don't worry about us," Totomaru said.

"Hey, Lucy, where's our location?" Natsu put his arm around my shoulder and casually leaned in to look at the papers in my hands.

"The upper towers and the parapet I think," I said as I flipped from cover to cover of the three reports. The first one said "parapet" as the location while the other two said "West Tower 5th floor stairwell".

"Huh? Puppet?"

"No, it's pa_-ra-_pet." I stressed the pronunciation. "You know, it's like the walkway along the top of castle walls. This school is like a castle, right? The rooftop of the castle walls that link the top parts of the towers together is a walkway, which is called the parapet." I explained.

"Oh I see…"

"Levy-chan, where's your location?" I looked at her.

"School library…" She replied absentmindedly as her eyes were glued to the pages. I'll bet she wasn't used to reading at such a normal pace without her Gale-Force Reading Glasses.

"Keh! How boring." Gajeel, leaning against the wall, scoffed.

"Don't mind him, he's usually like that," Totomaru said. "Then, if you'll excuse us, we'll be leaving first."

Totomaru and Aria walked away. A few steps later, _they disappeared?! _

"Eh? They're gone but they're still here?" Natsu, who could smell things better than most, said.

"_Oui! _That's Aria's magic!" Monsieur Sol explained. "His magic can decompose his body and other people's bodies into air, seemingly turning 'invisible'."

"Wow." Even though two of them seemed like true weirdoes, the Element 4 wizards are powerful wizards.

"Oooooo… That's awesome!" Natsu marveled.

"Monsieur Sol, have you taken a look at the reports yet?" Erza politely asked as she handed them out to him.

"Non, non, non!" And then when he took them from Erza, he said, "Merci."

"It seems ours is in the day…" Erza said to Sol in particular, and then she turned to ask the rest of us who still stood around. "Are any of yours in the day?"

I flipped through the reports again. _'Around 7pm'_, _'Between 8-9pm' _and _'Between 7-8pm' _were written on them.

"Nope," I replied. "All nighttime."

"Ours too," Gray said.

"Mmhmm, same here," Levy said without looking up.

"So… we don't have anything to do from now until nighttime?" I asked.

"Juvia will find the people who reported the sightings and interrogate them." Juvia said and then she walked off.

"Ah! Wait, Juvia!" _I have to warn her… _

I chucked the reports to Natsu and caught up with Juvia. We were some distance away from the main group, but not out of range for the dragon slayers, and probably Erza whose hearing was well-trained for battle.

"What is it?" Juvia said.

"It's about Gray but… I'm not sure if you know…?" I hesitated.

Her expression was a puzzled blank which told me to go on, "He has a compulsive stripping habit," I whispered. "And his Fairy Tail insignia is around here," I drew an imaginary circle around my right chest area. "So– eh? Juvia, your face is all red!"

Juvia's usually pale skin had turned to a deep red.

"Did you say s-s-s-st-strip!?" She forcefully stammered.

_Ah, right. It's not a very normal habit, is it? I've been hanging out with weirdoes for too long. _

I bashfully ruffled my hair and said, "Y-yeah…. It's a weird habit, but you have to look out for it because his emblem is on his right–"

"Okok," Juvia cut me off. "Juvia understands." She took a deep breath, seemingly to calm herself and her redness receded. Then she proceeded again, "Juvia will make sure he acts appropriately around the school."

"I've been in the same group as that pervert loads of times," Natsu said as he strode over. "So if you can't handle him, let me know and I'll gladly bash him up." Natsu playfully punched a fist into his other palm a few times for added effect.

"Oi, oi… I'm the one who'll trash you, alright?" Gray came over and refuted Natsu's statement.

"Really? You wanna go now, tarime-eyes? Let's see who'll trash who." I could see the (metaphoric) fire light up in Natsu's eyes as he challenged Gray.

"Are you two fighting again?" Erza and Sol were now walking over.

"No!" Instantly Natsu and Gray yelled in unison and acted like they were getting along. I rolled my eyes at that blatantly obvious and familiar act.

"Monsieur Sol and I will check out the gardens and the backyards now. See you guys later." She said and left with Sol.

"Lucy, let's go explore the upper towers!"

"Oh yeah!" I replied with enthusiasm that matched Natsu's. "See you later guys!" I waved as Natsu and I walked off.

That afternoon we familiarized ourselves with that area and that night, from 7-9pm, we stayed up there. It was a peculiar place, not all schools are castles, but it was probably also a very scary place to encounter a ghost (if they exist).

The parapet was long and narrow. It led from the East Tower, through the Central Tower, to the West Tower. Any sightings might actually have been more like a close encounter because, well… Frankly speaking, it seemed unlikely that anyone could see wrongly in such a restricted area like this.

We loitered around for three days and didn't encounter a thing. Every day after dinner, Natsu and I brought our homework there and finished them there. I would have fun spending time with Natsu and, on the surface, the two of us acted like normal students. Being with great company and at a fantastic location under the stars with a view to behold every night, I was enjoying my school life at Phantom Lord. We saw nothing _until the fourth day. _

* * *

On the first Friday of my first week at Phantom Lord, I saw something I felt I shouldn't have – _because I never thought it existed. _

At 7.45pm, after finishing our dinner and grabbing our books and relevant homework from our respective dorm rooms, Natsu and I met up again in the great room. We were in our uniforms and he carried his standard book bag like a sling bag.

"Got your keys?" He asked.

"Yep," I replied. My pouch was hidden, held up by a garter around my upper thigh beneath my skirt. I only brought them around with me during the night patrols when lesser people were in school (although the upper towers and parapet were practically void of people. There's virtually nothing up there so nobody really goes there.)

"Let's go!"

* * *

The West and East Towers were each about a 30m distance away from the Central Tower in the middle. There were no doors, just a rounded arc sort of doorway for the two side towers, and two doorways for the central one. At night, the upper levels of the towers were certainly creepy because it's so deserted and empty. _But at least I've got Natsu with me. _I was comforted by his presence.

When we climbed the stairs and arrived on the 5th floor of the Central Tower, I looked left and right at the East and West Towers, checking for any _thing _but there was nothing.

The 5th level of each tower was just a bare opening. The side towers were both square towers whereas the central one was rounded. On the first day, when Natsu and I first patrolled this area, we got ourselves familiar with the place. The top floor of each of the side towers (the sixth floor) had an attic room which was dusty and only stored old, useless things inside. The top floor of the central tower, however, was locked, but we figured it was just another attic storage room anyway.

Hugging my books closely, I walked towards the West Tower and stopped midway along the parapet. There I dumped my books on the cobbled stone floor and sat down beside it. The crenelated walls along the walkway were about 1.5m high and served as good back support as I leaned against them.

"I can see it if you sit like that," Natsu said.

"See what?"

"Your panties."

"Natsu Dragneel!" I yelled as I folded my legs in and pulled my skirt down.

But he just shrugged and sat down cross-legged on my left.

"So, what have you got today?" I said.

_I'll admit, it's pretty weird for two students to be coming here every night to do homework, but I thought it would be a decent cover story if anyone were to find us. I mean, Natsu and I look like a couple right? Everyone seems to think we are. I'm just using it to our advantage. _

"Urgh… something called meh the mad ticks and lit a tree creature, something or another…" Natsu answered.

"Huh…?" _Meh the mad ticks? Lit a tree creature? _I ran them through my mind really quickly. "Oh! You mean mathematics and literature!? Natsu, do you even know what math and literature are?"

"I know, the mad ticks are these number thingies and the tree creature is this book that's made of paper so they're like tree creatures. I don't know why they don't just call them books though."

I laughed at his response.

Clearly, he doesn't pay much attention during lessons or he doesn't understand the lessons at all, or both. But that's normal considering he never had to learn about such things, what with being a Dragon Slayer and all. Just learning how to read and breathe fire was enough for him.

The day before yesterday, I helped him with sciences. Yesterday, I helped him with Earthland geography and Fiore history. Today, it would be math and literature. We didn't have to do the homework because we weren't real students, but Natsu said it helps him fit into his student character and lets him blend in better so I just help him out. It made for a good cover whenever we had to do our real job anyway.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing."

"Lucy, you're weird." He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, okay," I said, totally disregarding his statement. _It's not the first time he's called me that._ "So what book have you got for literature?"

"'A Flower that Blooms in the Rain'******," Natsu replied.

"Oh! I know that book!"

"Great! You can help me with that later. Let's do the numbers thingy first."

He opened his textbook on his lap and I looked over. The night sky was dark, the walkway was dim. Some light came from the stars above, but mostly it was emitted from the miserable old chandelier hanging on the fifth floor ceiling of the Central Tower. And the only source of warmth was Natsu.

Feeling the chill of the night setting in, I sat closer to him. "What are the questions you have to do?" I asked.

"Erm…" He flipped through a few pages. "Oops, it's not this book." He put it down and then grabbed another one. "Here, all the questions on this page," he said after turning to the page.

"Pencil?" I asked for one.

He dug around his bag and produced one. As he handed the wooden pencil to me, my fingers brush past his hand and from where we touched the brief warmth spread and gradually dissipated.

"Lucy, you're cold," Natsu said.

"Just a little," I distractedly said as I focused on reading the first question. All of a sudden Natsu removed Igneel's scarf, and then wrapped it around my neck. The whole time, I watched him his face; his face displayed true concern for me.

"I won't allow you to feel cold around me." Natsu's black eyes sparkled impishly and I thought I sensed a double meaning behind the way he said that. _But… I was probably reading too much into things. _

I shook my head and dismissed that thought. "The first question is a typical question," I said and I scribbled the steps on his textbook. "You do it like this…" I thank my Heartfilia background and all the private tutors I'd had otherwise I wouldn't know how to do any of these questions.

"Ohhh…" Natsu wasn't the brightest, but he was no idiot. He had never learnt this stuff before but he caught on fast.

"Now you can try the next 3 because they're the same type of question." _As for me, I'll do my own math homework. _

But when Natsu bent forward to write against the floor, I received the shock of my life.

_Black, long hair that reached the floor, covering up any sort of face that it might have which might even make people mistake it for a back view… _

_Pale skin that was white as a sheet… or maybe that was a white sheet covering its arms… _

I tugged at Natsu's sleeve without taking my eyes off this ghoul. _Do ghosts not have a smell? _

"What?" Natsu turned to me, but I pointed at that thing.

_"HOLY SHIT!"_ He shouted and scrambled backwards towards me.

I, who was too stumped to say anything, sat there frozen. I wished it would go away… _What am I supposed to do? What were we supposed to do? _We're only told to patrol this place for those things. _But nobody ever told us what to do in the event we meet one!?_

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse, that phantom took a step forward and shadowed over us. _No, stop! Don't come any closer, _I wanted to shout.

My hand that still held onto the end of my best friend's sleeve trembled. Natsu felt that I was shaking badly, and so he got into a protective crouching position before me. Then, he took my hand from his sleeve and closed his hand around mine.

His warmth slowly transferred to my hand. As my cold skin warmed to the same temperature as his, my heart rate stabilized, my mind refocused and I felt a flicker of courage reignite within me.

_As long as he's here with me, come what may, I'll not be afraid of anything; he's an undying, blazing flame of hope. _

_He is the dragon who protects me. _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Ah… It's almost 3 weeks. I took really long this time round didn't I? I always aim to finish in 2 weeks but end up finishing by 3 instead. Really sorry about being so slow :/ but I hope that's ok because it's a rather long chapter and it's got more NaLu inside ^^ I hope you like it! **

**A few things about this chapter! **

**The part about the Juvia and the rain. I kind of want to write a side story to explain Juvia's mindset at that point in time but I don't have the time, so I'll just summarize it here… **

**Like in the original FT, before Juvia joined FT, she's this lonely, gloomy rain woman… So in this chapter, Juvia was feeling the blues again when it began to rain, and then when she was walking along in the rain at a later timing, she saw Natsu and Lucy from afar. She stayed nearby and watched them, listening in on their conversation. Knowing Lucy was deeply affected by Juvia's gloomy rain, she felt comforted, like somebody else finally understood her feelings, and so she was slightly happier and that's why the rain stopped. (: (BTW, Juvia's scent is kind of masked by the rain so Natsu couldn't sniff her out…) **

**And then there's the part about all the descriptions of the building again…! I hope you guys don't mind me describing the classrooms and the towers… and I hope it's not confusing x.x LOL **

**In case you can't imagine it… for the classrooms, what I meant by 'the top half of all walls separating the classrooms from the corridor was a transparent glass panel' is pretty typical in many other types of school-based manga I suppose? Try and recall some sort of school-ish manga that you might have read! It's not in FT OVA 2 though… **

**Alright! Leave me a comment please! I hope you like this chapter! Thank you very much for all the support thus far! ^^ **

**** 'A Flower that Blooms in the Rain' is Hiro Mashima's title for FT chapter 56 :D**


	22. Chapter 16: Do I Really?

**~ Do I Really? ~**

_No, go away… Go away…! _

I scurried and backed away.

_Don't come any closer. _

But that _thing _took another step forward. It occupied my entire field of vision, becoming all I could see.

"…your soul…" Its voice was coarse. A portion at the top of its hair tilted. If it had a head, or if I could see it, I would have thought it was tilting its head.

Its arm sheathed in white extended out towards me. Frantically I backed away some more, only to hit against a wall. _That's it..?! _I've reached the crenelated wall already?!

_What about my keys? My keys! _I grappled around my right thigh without taking my eyes off the black ghoul before me.

_They're gone! _

I checked my left side, and indeed, they had disappeared. _But since when?! _

Its arm still outstretched, it advanced another step and I panicked.

_Get away! _

Thinking I could run away from it, I scrambled around and got up. But all of a sudden, in a surge of black shadows, it lunged forward and clutched my throat. There was no temperature from this hand. It just felt like something really uncomfortable and suffocating. In the next moment, I inhaled sharply when that hand applied pressure and began to crush me. The blood supply to my brain was compromised, all my thoughts were cut off, and all I could see before me was the black hair of this creature.

Then, my feet left the stone-paved floor as it lifted me up in the air. I kicked and struggled, but it was pointless to flail around in mid-air; I was only wasting my energy.

I choked as the air stopped getting into my system.

_Am I going to die here? _

I began to see dark spots.

_NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! _

But as much as I willed the air to enter my lungs, it didn't; my body was shutting down. My vision blurred and I could no longer make out the hair of the ghost in front of me. My energy dwindled as I felt my life being sucked out my body in the form of a soul. My body went weak.

And then it went limp.

* * *

I awoke with a sharp gasp, sitting up abruptly.

"Lucy!?" That voice I knew so well was urgent.

It wasn't very warm but I was sweating, to the point that I was almost drenched in it. Lethargically, I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

"Erza, come quick! She's awake!" Natsu yelled in another direction.

_What was that just now? A dream? What on Earthland just happened? And where am I? _I looked around disoriented and took in my surroundings. It was a bedroom, somebody's bedroom. The room looked very much like my dorm but it was not mine. It was larger and only had one double bed, which I now occupied and Natsu now sat on.

"Lucy, can you hear me?" Natsu asked with anxiety lining his voice.

"She's awake? How is she?" Erza appeared through the bedroom door.

"I duno, she's not responding to me. You think her brain's damaged?"

_Damaged? _I wanted to roll my eyes and smack him but resisted the urge to do so because I was too fatigued… _and because I was happy to see him. _

"It's not damaged, you idiot," I said weakly with a smile.

Natsu relaxed upon hearing that, it was as though a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Haha, that's our Lucy alright," Erza said. "I'll go tell the others." And then she left the room.

The moment Erza left, Natsu leaned forward and hugged me. _This _hug was different from previous ones or even casual ones… His entire torso collapsed and slumped in relief as he leaned his weight into me.

"Natsu?" I wasn't sure what he was doing or what was wrong. My chin rested on his shoulder and I realized that I was still wearing his scarf.

"I…" His low voice trembled. "…was so afraid that I'd lost you."

Something about his tone sent my heart racing. He was letting his guard down, completely revealing his heartfelt fear and showing his vulnerability to me. It was almost as intimate as a confession and it sent my heart racing.

"I–"

"I'm so relieved that you are back," Natsu intercepted my apology and continued. "Don't ever leave again." His voice twisted in agony and I couldn't find the right words to say, so I just hugged him back. _Sorry, Natsu, for making you worry… _

_…but what exactly happened to me? _

Right before a whole group of people entered the room, Natsu abruptly pulled back and we separated. It was the rest of the team, everyone from Fairy Tail and Jose Porla's side led by Erza. They all either stood or sat around the room.

"Lucy!" Levy-chan exclaimed delightfully and half-skipped and leaped towards the bed. She tackled me and hugged me, squeezing me real tight for a moment before letting go.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Levy said when she released me.

"Welcome back," Gray who stood by the bed said.

I tried to smile brightly but due to exhaustion, it probably looked quite weak and maybe even came off as forced. "Feels good to be back." I said.

"Master was kind of worried there," Totomaru said.

"_SADNESS! OH! We were all so sad about this!" _Aria exclaimed dramatically and began crying through his white blindfold again.

"N-no, there's no need to be so upset…." I said. "I'm fine now… I think."

"What do you mean?" Juvia asked.

"That…" I hesitated. "I don't remember why I'm lying here or why I passed out. What happened? Why don't I remember? And where am I?" I glanced around the room again.

"You're in my dorm room," Erza said.

"Mademoiselle Lucy doesn't remember _anything?_" Sol habitually wobbled as he spoke with impeccable formality.

I dug around in my brain but came up with nothing. Slowly, I turned my head left and right.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Gray asked.

"I remember going to the parapet with Natsu," I replied. "And I was helping him with math, and then…" I thought really hard, but my head started to ache so I gave up and just said, "That's all I remember."

"Oh…" Levy responded.

"I see," Erza said. "So you don't remember anything about the ghost that day."

"Ghost?!" I was alarmed. Like she said, I couldn't recall anything about a ghost. _Wait – 'that day'? What does she mean by 'that day'? How long was I unconscious for? _"How long have I been out?"

"Two and a half days," Natsu answered, and I sensed bitter tone which made me stare at him suspiciously, wondering whether he had been by my side the whole time.

"That ghost…" I recalled my nightmare just now. "Did it have long black hair and no face?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Natsu replied.

"Lu-chan, do you remember something?" Levy asked.

"No. Just that, I had a dream, more like a nightmare actually," I said. "So what exactly happened?" I looked for someone to tell me what went on.

Just then, the grandfather clock from the great room chimed and the sound reverberated through the walls.

"Alright, everybody out! Get back to class," Erza suddenly started chasing them out. _Two and a half days since Friday… was it Monday today? _

The Element 4 as well as Gray left as ordered to whereas Levy lingered. "Take care, Lu-chan!" She gave me another brief hug. "Get better soon so we can have fun laughing during lunch breaks again!"

This time I smiled naturally and nodded.

"Oi, short one, I'm leaving you behind." Gajeel was already halfway out the door when he said that.

"Ah! Gajeel, wait up!" Levy ran after him. _Looks like there aren't any problems with her and Gajeel. _

"Natsu," Erza said after everyone was gone. "You should get going too."

"No," Natsu immediately resisted. "I didn't even go for any lessons this morning. I wanna stay here."

"No, I didn't mean go for lessons. I mean, go back to your dorm and get some sleep." Erza said.

As I watched their exchange, I noticed Natsu's whole person seemed to have lost his usual sunniness. _He's all worn out, as though he had not slept for–! Did he not sleep at all while I was unconscious…!? _To my horror I realized that fact.

"But I–"

"No 'but's!" Erza raised her voice. "You haven't slept for the past two days, so _go _and get some sleep _now!" _

Upon hearing that, I couldn't help but feel slightly happy, but concerned at the same time. "Natsu, I'll be fine, just go." I said.

But he was still reluctant to get up from my bed (or rather Erza's bed). So I said with what I hoped looked like my usual smile, hoping to reassure him, "I'll still be here when you wake up."

"…Ok." And with that Natsu left too, leaving only Erza left with me in the room.

"So I guess you'll be telling me what happened?" I asked.

"Yeah," Erza said. Then she brought her desk chair closer to the bed and sat on it.

"Today's Monday. The day you passed out was about 3 days ago, last Friday," Erza started off. "You and Natsu encountered a ghost… …

* * *

"I'm off to meet Lucy now. See you airheads later!" I said to my roommates, Gray and Gajeel.

Underpants was lying on his bed and he exhibited his boxers for all to see. Metal Freak was chomping on iron and dropping metal crumbs all over his bed.

"Shut up," Gajeel crudely said. Through rooming with him, I've learnt that he's not a very nice guy but he's a good guy.

"I'm not an airhead, you shitty ass." Gray rebuked.

"Whatever, shouldn't you two also be leaving soon?" _Don't they have night patrol duty at the school library and the swimming pool? _

"Yeah, later. Just lemme lie here for another five minutes," Gray replied. Gajeel just ignored me.

"Okay," I shrugged even though he wasn't looking at me. I didn't understand why Gray seemed so tired after just three nights of loitering though.

As I was about to step onto the telepad, Gray sharply sat up and yelled, "You have no idea how tiring it is to have to resist the urge to strip! And for so many hours consecutively and so many days in a row!"

"I didn't say anything…?" I replied.

"You didn't have to! I know you were thinking it!"

"Idiot! Then just don't strip!" I shouted back.

"You think it's that easy?! Me not stripping is like you not seeing Lucy for one day; it's abnormal!"

"What's this got to do with Lucy? Did you strip your brains along with your clothes?" _And what the heck does he mean?_

"My brains are intact! It's yours that aren't!" He yelled. "I've seen your expression when Lucy isn't around, and I've also noticed Lucy's when you aren't by her side. Only the two of you _idiots_ are still oblivious about your feelings towards each other."

"_Haaah? _What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying you like her but you won't admit it, dammit!" Gray that bastard reemphasized his point.

"What, me?!" My voice went higher. "No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do," Gray refused to let it go. "And so does she. Can't the two of you just get together already?"

"… …" That sounded even unbelievable. _As if Lucy likes me… … _

"You talk about her all the time. It's always 'Lucy this' and 'Lucy that'. You get jealous when other guys get close to her, especially Loke. You're extra affected when she cries, _and _you are overprotective of her.

"You spent 6 days in confinement learning how to bake a chocolate cake for her on White Day, _just because _Mirajane and I lied to you and said that she will never talk to you again if you don't give her something in return for the giri chocolate.

"Apparently you always sleep in her bed too. I know it's not because you have any ill-designs towards her, but have you ever wondered why? I know you well enough to tell you why. It's because _you like her! _And not just her bed. Her presence makes you sleep sounder and sleep better."

I listened to Gray in silence, not fully understanding why I was still standing there and subjecting myself to a lecture _(and by Gray at that! Of all people…)_, but what he said seemed to reflect some truth. Although some of his words hit home, I would never admit it to him. Indeed, there was a very special way I felt about Lucy and only towards her alone, but I didn't know if that was because I like her.

"I'll say it one more time, Lucy and I are just best friends and best partners." I said firmly. Then I pointed to Gajeel, "Anything more will only happen if Gajeel falls for Levy!"

"Can the both of you shut up already?" The metal dragon slayer irritably said.

"I'm going," I said curtly. I walked onto the telepad. Gray's words lingered in my mind as I was brought to the great room.

* * *

When I arrived in the great room, Lucy was already standing there by the sofas. My mood lightened when I saw her.

"Got your keys?" I asked to check.

"Yep," she replied.

"Let's go!" I said and we walked to the school for the second time that day.

As we stepped out onto the streets, I felt the slight drop in atmospheric temperature. _If even I can feel it, then Lucy probably felt it too. She's going to feel cold later but… it'll be fine if I'm there. _

When we got to the higher floors, Lucy turned left and I followed her. Dumping our stuff on the floor, we settled down in the middle of the walkway. She leaned back against the wall as she sat in her usual uncouth way, totally forgetting that she was wearing a miniskirt again.

A patch of white peeked out from underneath her skirt because of the way she sat. I didn't mean to be a pervert but… _She's totally not caring that I'm a guy. _I figured I needed to remind her, so I said, "I can see it if you sit like that." _Plus, her facial expressions are always very entertaining. _

"See what?" She was completely clueless.

"Your panties."

"Nastu Dragneel!" She shrieked. The appalled look on her face was amusing and she pulled down her skirt and covered herself up. _I don't think she realizes it, but I see her panties everytime she kicks me. _It's really no big deal so I shrugged and sat down beside her.

As I took my books out of my bag, she asked me, "So, what have you got today?"

_What's that numbers thing called again… _"Urgh…" _Ah-hah! _"…Something called meh the mad ticks and lit a tree creature, something or another…"

"Huh…?" She seemed puzzled, but she quickly got it. "Oh! You mean mathematics and literature!? Natsu, do you even know what math and literature are?"

_Mathematics and literature? Sounds about the same. _"I know, the mad ticks are these number thingies and the tree creature is this book that's made of paper so they're like tree creatures," I replied. "I don't know why they don't just call them books though.

She laughed at my response.

"What's so funny?" I said.

"Oh, nothing."

My right eyebrow went up. "Lucy, you're weird." I told her once again.

"Yeah, okay," she brushed off my comment. "So what book have you got for literature?"

"'A Flower that Blooms in the Rain'," I answered.

"Oh! I know that book!" Lucy exclaimed.

_As expected of the bookworm! _"Great! You can help me with that later." It was time to start on homework while we spend another boring 2 to 4 hours around these empty upper levels. _Clearly there's nothing here, _I thought as I looked around briefly.

I took my number book out of my bag and said, "Let's do the numbers thingy first."

I flipped open the book and, perhaps to get a better view, Lucy moved closer and leaned in. "What are the questions you have to do?" She asked.

"Erm…" As I turned the pages, I realized it was the wrong book. "Oops, it's not this book." I put it aside and reached into my bag for my other one. The place was dimly lit by only the weak light emanating from the chandelier of the middle tower, but I could see just fine.

"Here, all the questions on this page," I said as I opened the book and showed her all the questions I needed her to guide me through.

"Pencil?"

I felt around my bag and found it. When I handed it to her, our skins touched for a brief second and there was an instantaneous jolt of cold. My body warmed the patch of cold back to my usual temperature in a second, but that wasn't what I cared about.

"Lucy, you're cold," I was slightly bothered.

But she carried on analyzing the homework question and replied without even looking up at me, "Just a little."

_That won't do, _I frowned. _Even though we're sitting so close she's still cold huh? _I thought about it for awhile, and then I unwound the scarf around my neck and put it around Lucy's. I wore it for her, wrapping one end around and making sure it covered her snugly. As I did so, I noticed she was staring at my face.

_Were my actions so unexpected? _But I'm Igneel's son, the Flame Dragon King's son. How could I leave her alone if I knew she was cold? Besides, ever since she told me she ran away from home to join Fairy Tail, I promised myself I would protect her from everything, and _I meant everything._

"I won't allow you to feel cold around me," I told her.

She paused for a while and then she turned back to the textbook. "The first question is a typical question," she said and began writing notes by the side of the question.

"You do it like this…" She said as she wrote down the steps.

_(1) Form two equations_

_8x + 15y = 39_

_5x – 3y = 12_

_(2) Combine them together and solve simultaneously_

_3y = 5x – 12 _

_15y = 25x – 60 _

_8x + (25x – 60) = 39 _

_33x = 99 _

_x = 3 _

_y = 1 _

_"Ohhh…" I see. _It's just like moving stuff around.

"Now you can try the next 3 because they're the same type of question," she said.

_Alright. _I placed the book on the floor before me and bent forward. _Question 2: Five chicken eggs and two duck eggs cost– _

_Huh? _I felt a tug on my sleeve and I looked back at Lucy. "What?" But she pointed towards my other side and I followed her finger.

_"HOLY SHIT!" _I shouted and backed away as soon as I saw this black ghost before me. _When did it appear?!_ I didn't even notice it although it was so near…!?Lucy, behind me, went stiff and she didn't move; she didn't dare to.

The next moment, the curtain of long, black hair moved forward. _What does it want from us?_ I took a defensive stance in front of my partner. I felt her trembling; her one hand that clutched the corner of my sleeve was shaking. I put my hand around hers and held it in mine. _Don't be afraid, _I told her through that action, and within half a minute or so, I felt her calm down.

I narrowed my eyes at the figure before me and remained on high alert. I was prepared to set it on fire if it was going to attack us. In slow motion, it lifted up its arm that was covered in a white sheet. As I wondered what was it going to do, I felt a pull from Lucy's hand.

_Lucy!? _

I whipped round, only to see her collapsed form on the floor. I didn't even _see_ what happened. _What made her pass out? If I can't see it, if I don't know, how will I defend against it?! _I didn't even know if she was still breathing. Instantly, my danger switch was flicked. This thing was dangerous, and I needed to get Lucy to safety.

In one swift motion, supporting the back of her knees and shoulders, I scooped her up. At first I rushed towards the stairwell of the middle tower. But then I realized it could easily catch up with me! _I can't let it do the same to me! I can't pass out here! I mustn't or Lucy will–! _With this sense of urgency, instead of turning left, I turned right and leapt up onto the castle walls with her in my arms. Without looking back, I jumped off the five-storey-high wall.

I first landed on the elaborate pointy roof below. Bending my knees, somehow I managed to have a stable landing. But not stopping there, I built on the potential energy that resulted from the previous jump and jumped again, this time off the main building of Phantom Lord.

Lucy's weight pulled me forward and I had to land low in a semi-kneeling sort of position with one of my knees touching the ground. Not wasting any time, I got up immediately. I clutched her close to me, and with a great spurt of energy, I shot off and ran straight for the dorm to find help.

* * *

_Please be alright! Just hang in there, Lucy! Aaargh! Why does this road seem so damn long?! _

Finally I saw the spires of the dormitory's dual towers. Knowing that I was nearing, I picked up speed. Within the next minute, I burst through the double doors.

"ERZA!" I shouted at full volume. But I didn't wait around for her to react. I smelled her on this floor and ran in the direction of a certain room.

"ERZA!" I yelled again when she was in my field of vision. She was getting up from a chair at a desk.

"Natsu?!" She exclaimed, and then she saw Lucy. "Lucy?! What in the world happened?! Natsu, your scarf! It's black!"

There was a bed in the room so I went to it. Slowly and gently, I placed Lucy down and I knelt beside the bed. Her body had no energy, her chest was not moving. She was not breathing; she was lifeless. And just as Erza said, Igneel's scarf had changed colour.

"I don't know," I replied Erza as I got up. "I don't know what happened! But hurry, we have to do something. _WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW!" _Without realizing it, I was grabbing Erza on both sides of her arms and agitatedly shaking her.

But instead of punching me or punishing me, she placed her hands firmly on my shoulders, looked into my eyes seriously, and supportively said, "She's going to be alright, Natsu. I'll get Director Jose Porla right away." And then she ran out of the room at a speed almost faster than my eyes could follow.

"Lucy!" I turned back to her and tried to wake her up. "Lucy, come on! Wake up! Lucy, wake up!" I desperately called her name to no avail. I shook her, but she remained limp on the bed.

_Nonono…! _I cried in my head as I knelt by the bed and put my head down against the mattress. _I can't… Not her as well. I can't lose her as well. _

But right at that moment, I heard something and I froze. At this proximity, with the total silence around me, I heard the perfect sound of life – a heartbeat. It started with a single strong one and then a multitude of them followed in quick succession. She had a heartbeat again!

_Lucy…? _I peered up cautiously. _No, she wasn't awake. _Her eyes were still closed. _But she was alive! She's alive! _She was motionless, but that's just because she wasn't awake _yet. _

_That's it, Lucy, fight! Whatever it is, don't give up! I'm right here. I'm right here, Lucy… _"You can hear my voice right? You can sense my feelings right?" I put my hand against her cheek. "You are not alone anymore. I'll be right here until you wake up, I promise." Although her face was pale and her skin was below the normal temperature, her strong beating heart told me she would return to me eventually.

"Lucy!" Out of nowhere, Levy came into the room and I heard a lot of footsteps following behind her before I actually turned to look. It was everyone else, along with Director Jose Porla.

"Oh, Lucy…" Levy reached the bedside and looked mournful.

"Oh, _non, non, non!" _Sol cried in dismay when he saw Lucy.

"Director, please help her," Erza said.

Jose Porla took one look at Lucy and then he said, "Aria, fetch me a lacrima ball."

"Yes, sir," Aria responded and then became one with the air again.

"Natsu, is that your scarf?" Gray noticed and asked.

"Yeah, although it's black now, I don't know what that foul ghoul did to it." I said the words 'foul ghoul' distastefully.

"Wait a minute, you two actually saw one? You saw a ghost?" Totomaru asked.

"What exactly happened? Juvia would like to know."

"I'm back." Before I could answer Juvia, Aria reappeared in the room with a lacrima sphere in his hand.

"What is that for? How is that going to help Lucy?" I asked.

"I can't help her. I'm afraid I'm out of my depth. I'm going to call Porlyusica for help with this," he replied. He then put his hands over the crystal ball, focused for a few seconds, and then Porlyusica's face surfaced on the lacrima.

"What is it, Jose? What do you want?" She spat.

"As pleasant as ever, Porlyusica," Jose Porla replied. "But this is important. Don't you see all these people around me?"

"Hmph, a bunch of hateful brats is all I see."

Then Jose rotated the lacrima. Ignoring Porlyusica's spiteful remark, he said, "Lucy is in trouble. She's one of Makarov's kids. Can you help?"

"Can she be saved?" Levy asked.

There was a moment of silence from Porlyusica which seemed to be because she was taken by surprise. But after she recollected her composure, she spoke again, "Did she pass out? How did she pass out?"

Jose looked to me for an answer and I spoke, "It was a ghost. It raised its hand and suddenly she just fell over."

"What rubbish. Ghosts don't exist."

"But I _saw _one!" I rebutted. "And it did this to Lucy! Isn't there something you can do?"

"Shut up! I said they don't exist, that means they don't exist! And no! There's nothing I can do from all the way over here!"

_That didn't sound good. _Porlyusica was the kind who left her house almost _never._

"But that scarf," she continued. "That scarf is black, but it looks like yours, Natsu."

"It's mine, but it somehow turned black when that ghost knocked her out."

"I said ghosts don't exist!" Porlyusica the old granny screamed again.

"Hey, wasn't the scarf a darker colour before?" Erza spoke.

_Huh? _I observed the scarf again, but it looked the same to me.

"Was it?" Porlyusica asked.

I studied my scarf closely and found that Erza was right. It looked more like a really, really dark grey now.

"Natsu, Lucy is breathing isn't she?" Porlyusica continued. I nodded. "I reckon she's still alive and that your scarf kept her alive. Leave it there, if the black really is fading as Erza said, then by the time it is white again, she will be awake."

"Really?!" I exclaimed.

"You mean if it weren't for Natsu's scarf, that ghost would have killed her?" Totomaru was taken aback, most likely because this meant that the mission had now reached a new level of danger.

"Yes, she probably would have died," Porlyusica said calmly. But then she snapped again, "Ghosts don't exist, you brat!" After which her tone switched back to her usual emotionless and calm one again, "In any case, Lucy is alright and there's nothing more for me to do. Don't call me again."

Shortly, the connection was cut, and it was just us in the room once again.

"Regrettably, I am sorry for having put one of you in harm's way. I understand if you want to pull out of this mission now," Director Jose Porla said with a serious tone and a remorseful expression.

Erza was about to reply, but I had something to say myself. "AS IF WE WOULD BACK DOWN NOW!" I yelled. "That damned ghost dared to lay a hand on Lucy…" Once the worry subsided, the anger crept in and I now seethed with anger. My fists were clenched but I didn't light them on fire. "…I'll burn it to ashes, doesn't matter if it's a ghost or not."

"Just as Natsu said, we feel the same." Erza said. "Wizards of Fairy Tail never give up a mission; we see things through right to the very end. That's why, Director Porla, we will stay and fight alongside with the rest of you." She nodded in the Element 4's general direction.

"Thank you, all of you," he turned to look at each of the Fairy Tail members. "If you'll excuse me now, I'll have to report this incident to Makarov. I'll do it back at my office if you don't mind."

Erza nodded.

"Aria, come with me," he said. And so, Jose Porla and Aria left.

"So… when the black fades huh?" Gray said as all attention was back on Lucy again.

"Yeah…" Levy said.

"Is it really that simple? Does that old hag know what she's talking about?" Totomaru spoke.

"Porlyusica may seem unpleasant and unfeeling and such, but she is our Medicinal Advisor and a skilled healer," Erza reassured.

"Juvia believes that Lucy will be fine."

"We all wish for her to be well, so Madamoiselle Lucy will definitely come around." Sol said with confidence.

"Luckily it's the weekend already and we don't have to make up an excuse for her absence from school…" Erza said. "But that doesn't mean you guys can hang around here all night! Go do your own things! And exercise extra caution!"

"Oui~ we have to act normal to the rest of the school and appear like nothing has happened, especially more so in front of the ghosts." Sol said as he wobbled about. It made me nauseous just looking at him sway…

"Right, we can't stop now that we know something is up. But we definitely can't let them find out that we're plotting to deal with them either." Totomaru said.

"Then, for now, Juvia and I will bring Lucy back to our dorm," Levy said. "We'll take care of her there."

When I heard that I became slightly panicked. I can't go to the West wing… I can't enter the girls' room. _I won't be able to be by her side. They're going to take her away?! _

But before I opened my mouth to protest, Erza stepped in. "No, it's alright. For the time being, she can just use my bed." She glanced at me, which told me she understood. It seemed as though she was saying _'That way you can stay by her side' _to me.

Feeling more settled, I sat down on the bed. _Man, was I tired. _Not exhausted by the physical activity, but emotionally drained. _Why? _I wonder. _I feel like I've stopped breathing for the past few minutes and my heart had just restarted. I had never felt such heart-stopping anxiety like that in a while. _

"Juvia will take her leave then," Juvia said.

"Me too," Levy said. "Gajeel and I have to lock up the school library and pack up for the day."

_That reminded me. _"Ah. Our stuff… They're still at the upper towers." I just remembered. _All the homework and the books… _

"The ghost might still be there, it'll be dangerous to retrieve them now," Erza said. "But I'll still go. Monsieur Sol and I will go."

Sol adjusted his monocle and said, "Oui."

"I will go too," Totomaru said. "It sounds dangerous."

"Then me too, I'll–"

"You stay here with Lucy and Natsu," Erza cut Gray off. They exchanged a look and I wondered what Erza was concerned about.

But then Gray nodded and said, "Ok, be careful."

With that, everybody except for Gray left the room. _Why did Erza want this pervert to stay behind? _

_Whatever. _I decided to ignore his presence and just looked at Lucy. I stared at the scarf. The colour didn't seem to be changing. But Erza said the colour was lighter now so it must have changed.

* * *

Gray and I had been sitting around for awhile now, I sat on the bed while Gray sat on a nearby armchair. He was falling asleep and I couldn't stand it so I said, "If you're just going to sleep, then go back to the dorm room."

"Huh?! Wh-what? Sleep, me? No. I'm wide awake." He abruptly stopped nodding off and sat up.

"…Whatever you say." I said. "Hey, did the colour of my scarf just turn lighter again?" I asked.

"Haah?" He looked at it for a second and then said, "No. I don't think it'll be that fast. Relax a little, dude."

"Aren't you the one who's a little too relaxed?" I chided him.

"No. _You're _the one who's too tensed." Gray said.

I was about to say 'no I'm not', but then I realized that would be a lie. _Of course I'm worried. Of course I'm tensed. _"She almost died… Right in front of my eyes, she almost died."

"But she didn't. The point is she didn't." I knew he was trying to make me feel better but I didn't think I would feel better until Lucy wakes up.

"Still, I can understand why you would be so worried." Gray carried on. "Remember what I told you, Natsu?" _What did he tell me again? _

_Oh. He told me that I like Lucy. _"I told you already, Gray. I don't…" _…like her, I think? _My voice trailed off as I thought about it again. Then in all honesty, I said, "I don't know. What does it feel like to like someone?"

My eyes focused on Lucy's face while my ears listened to Gray speak. "Uh… That would be… It would be like how you feel about the rest of us, people of Fairy Tail, but probably multiplied by a hundred times or something, yeah."

_How I feel about Fairy Tail multiplied by a hundred times? _

"Like… you know," Gray continued. "Just like Erza and Jellal, always connected in thought, always thinking about each other… Caring deeply for each other, giving strength to each other? Sounds a bit like comrades actually, but the feeling is probably even stronger. Maybe even feeling like you might die if you've lost that person…? Keh! How should I know? I've never fallen for anyone."

_Feeling like you might die if you've lost that person…? _

I turned my eyes back to Lucy's resting face. _What would it be like if I never saw those brown eyes ever again? _My heart cringed at that thought. _I wished that will never happen. I will never let that happen. _

At that point, I recalled Gray's words from before: _"…I've seen your expression when Lucy isn't around… …You like her but you won't admit it, dammit!…"_

And then I remembered what Cana had once told me, _"…Let's just say that falling in love with someone means all you can think of is that person and just thinking about him, or her, can make your heart beat faster…"_

Suddenly, I recalled all the times I thought of Lucy or when I was with her …and all the times my heart went_ wild_ because of her.

_No, it can't be_. My mind is just foggy right? As I stared at her face, my thoughts and feelings about her got all mixed up.

_But other than that, there's no other explanation for this fuzzy, pulsating feeling I get whenever I'm with her… _

_Do I like her? Do I really like her? _

_My dear Lucy… I think I've really fallen for you. _

* * *

_Back to the present [Lucy's POV] _

"…So I left Gray in the room with Natsu to provide him with emotional support. Natsu was so uneasy; I had never seen him like that before. But Gray, that guy, I think he understands Natsu's feelings the best." Erza said. "Also… Do you really not notice it, Lucy?"

"Hm? Notice what?"

"Natsu's feelings for you."

I felt a blush creep to my cheeks. "W-what are you saying, Erza?"

"He likes you, Lucy, can't you see?"

"What…! How's that possible?" I was surprised, _and nervous._ My heart was throbbing. _How can that be true? I… _

"He does," she insisted. "He really does. Trust me, that boy has fallen for you. But how do you feel about him, Lucy?"

"…I …I don't…" I stopped short. Somehow when Erza asks me honestly like this, I couldn't bring myself to yell out 'I do not like him!' confidently, like I always do when people bring me and him together. Instead, a question surfaced in my mind: _what is it like to like someone? How do I know if I like him? _

"How do I know?" I said quietly. Erza did not reply immediately so I asked again, "How do I know if I like him?"

"T-the answer for that question varies from people to people," she seemed taken by surprise with my question. "For me though… well, when I don't see him for a few days, I start to miss him and I feel a little off. But just by being with him for a few minutes, my entire day brightens up." She smiled like a woman in love as she said this, and I knew she was picturing Jellal. "I like him so much that my heart can't contain it…"

"Erza…" I was in awe of her feelings for Jellal. And gradually I realized I felt the same towards Natsu. Just at the thought of being with him or at the sound of his name, my heart fluttered like a butterfly's wings.

"I don't have any say in his feelings or your feelings, but I think you should think about it, Lucy," Erza said. "Carefully sort them out, because one day he'll realize his own feelings. When that time comes, what will you do?"

I nodded pensively in response.

"Anyway, to continue the story about what happened… it was just like Porlyusica predicted. When the blackness in the scarf faded, you regained consciousness." Erza said.

I looked down at the scarf and saw that it was white. "But why?" I asked.

"Hmm… we didn't call back to ask for an explanation," Erza answered. "But I have my own guesses. The first one is that it could have simply absorbed all the effects from the ghost's attack but some of it still managed to impact you. Or, my second guess is that the ghost's attack forced out all the magic from your body, which is why you passed out instantly and you almost died. But your magic got stored in the scarf and was slowly returned back to you."

"I see…" _It's really all thanks to Natsu, isn't it? _All of a sudden I wanted to see him.

"Yes, and I've made up an excuse for your absence today. I told your homeroom teacher, Ikaruga sensei, that you fell sick."

"Oh, thanks for that." I said.

"No problem."

"I guess I should get back to my room now? I've been lying here for two and a half days right? These look like the same clothes I wore on Friday." I examined my uniform.

"Uhhuh, that's because they are."

_I'm surprised I don't smell. _I got out of Erza's bed, and just before I left her room, I looked back and told her, "Thank you, Erza. I'll think about what you said."

* * *

Just as I was about to head for the telepad from Erza's dorm, from the corner of my eye, I saw pink hair at the sitting area. _Natsu? _I walked there.

_It's really him. _Natsu was lying on the sofa, sleeping like a log. _Did he stay down here because he was worried? _

I went and sat down on the floor by his side. His sleeping face was peaceful and carefree.

_Or did he sleep here in order to stay close to me…? _

_Oh, Natsu… Whatever will I do with you? _I smiled to myself. He's always there for me and I… _I'm not sure. Do I… Do I really like him…? _

"…Lu…cy…" He murmured in his sleep. I felt my heart squeeze and a huge blush came on.

_Ahhhh… This is bad. _

_…I think I've fallen for him. _

[To be continued…]

* * *

**Very close to 7000 words…! :O ! **

**If you haven't realized, or if you are confused, Erza is the one telling Lucy what happened, but I'm telling the story from Natsu's POV. I think it's more interesting that way, otherwise it'd just be "You and Natsu met a ghost, you fainted, he carried you here" The end, that's it. Quite boring dialogue right? **

**I also didn't start from the exact point where they met the ghost but instead started from slightly earlier… Haven't had a Natsu's feelings chapter for awhile xD but here it is! Not as a bonus but as part of a main chapter ^^ **

**Hmm! The hardest part in this chapter was probably when I had to come up with the conversation! Especially the last bit when they both realized they like each other! **

**Hope you have enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading! ^^**

*** Just realized that I made a mistake in writing Chapter 13: Proximity… On White Day, guys give chocolate to girls whom they receive giri chocolate from too… :/ But nvm! I can't fix that chapter anymore. **

**** 15 JUNE 2013 UPDATE: Chapter 17 will be out in 3rd/4th week of July... Sorry for the long wait in advance! :( **


	23. Chapter 17: My Decision

**~ My Decision ~**

There are some things in life that everyone wants: health, fame, fortune, family, friends and so on. Greedier people might even covet the 'unthinkable's: immortality, unsurpassed power, immeasurable wealth, fame (even if it comes in the form of notoriety). Yet, I feel that in actuality, there is only one thing in life we cannot live without and that is: family.

'Family' is a relative term whose meaning differs from person to person, but it _always _refers to the people closest to your heart. Health deteriorates as we age, wealth constantly fluctuates (for me anyway), and fame? What good is fame if you are alone without kin at the end of the day? That's why the one thing I absolutely cannot live without is family, and to me, Fairy Tail is my family. _Without Fairy Tail, I won't be able to live on. _

And that's why, I made a decision.

* * *

It has been three weeks since I've recovered from the Ghost Attack incident, and also three weeks since I've realized a slight change within me. On the outside, it was almost like nothing happened but on the inside, something had definitely changed. Under the guidance of Erza, I now understood that my feelings for Natsu went beyond 'just friends'. It's just… what was I supposed to do with my feelings? _What am I supposed to do now that I know? _

I had been thinking about that question for the past three weeks. And also because I'd been constantly thinking about it, I'm acting more and more strangely whenever I'm around Natsu. Somehow, all the butterflies in my stomach seemed to have magically multiplied, but the most obvious giveaway of all is that I blush really easily whenever I'm around him now; Just the slightest provocation and I turn all pink. _Sigh, I really have to work on hiding that. _

"Hey, Lucy." All of a sudden his deep voice penetrated my thoughts and shortly after, I felt an arm around my shoulders. I jumped, startled by his sudden appearance and dropped the book in my hands.

_Why is he here?! _I was flustered, but I bent down and picked up the book in order to buy time and collect myself again. When I stood upright once more, I slotted the book back onto the shelf and said, "What is it, Natsu?" as calmly as I could manage.

I looked at him, now leaning against the bookshelf with his arms folded across his chest.

"What are you thinking so deeply about? You didn't even notice me coming," he said instead of replying my question. _At his own pace again as always… _

I kept a stone face and tried my best to suppress the imminent blush. My heart, however, did not slow down. "Nothing much," I replied.

"Really?" He gave me that skeptical look. _Oh right, he can always tell when something's on my mind. _

"Yeah, just, you know, thinking about everything," I said. "Like homework and math formulas and our mission…" I tried to appear nonchalant and I think it worked. _Well, it wasn't really a lie since 'everything' covers everything. _

"_That's _nothing much? You think too much, Lucy!" He said.

"It's you who's got the mindset of a three-year-old that's all," I made a jab at him. "You just don't think enough."

"Oi, oi… I think enough alright?"

"Hmm, I wonder about that…" I smiled playfully, purposely ticking him off.

"HEY!" He began shouting. "I th–mmf!" I rushed to cover his mouth.

"Shh! This is the library!" I reminded him.

Muffled by my hand, I heard him say something like an 'ok' before I removed my hand.

"I always get thrown out of the library because of you…" I sighed aloud, slightly annoyed but mostly used to it. Nonetheless, when Natsu beamed in response, any irritation I felt just left me. On the contrary, a mild blush came on and I turned away towards the books on the shelves to hide it.

"So? What are you doing here?" I asked distractedly as I glanced through the titles.

"You skipped PE again," he stated, plainly ignoring my question again. "Why do you always skip PE?"

PE stands for Physical Education. I learnt about it after coming to Phantom Lord Academy. It's the two hours each week when all students have to exercise and do a variety of sports every week. It is also the only period where students from different years can have a common period for interaction. Natsu and I have the same period for PE.

"I'm not exactly skipping, am I? It's swimming week so I'm exempted." Then I noticed his PE attire. "Aren't you exempted as well?" None of us from Fairy Tail can wear a swimsuit without revealing our Fairy Tail insignia to everyone, so Erza told Master Porla and he exempted all of us.

"Exemption doesn't mean you don't show up," Natsu scowled momentarily.

"But it's such a waste of time sitting there and watching others swim." _I'd much rather be here, _I silently added.

And then, as though he read my mind, he asked, "It is really that enjoyable here?" He looked around and examined the library shelves that were full of books.

"The variety's not as wide as in Fair– I mean, as back home, but they're still books." I spotted an intriguing title and pulled it from the shelf.

Scanning the blurb, I decided it wasn't as interesting as I thought so I put it back. I must have looked through this entire row of shelves by now and yet I hadn't found anything that I wanted to borrow. I turned to walk to another row when I realized that Natsu was following me around.

"Do you need something?" I questioned. "Speaking of which, why are you even here?" That's the third time I'm asking already. _Why am I asking him again even though he keeps ignoring it? _

"Huh? I, err… I was looking for something," Natsu replied. _What's with that brief hesitation? _

Also, I had to ask the same question three times before he finally replied… _I wonder what he's thinking about. _Even though we've managed to build a stronger team rapport over the past few missions, till today, I still don't fully understand how his mind works.

"What could you be looking for in a library? You never come here," I said, despite knowing that he actually did come here sometimes. _Eh? Why did he come here all those times again? _I couldn't recall, probably because I never asked.

"Oh, err… I'm looking for a book of course! Like, _duh! _What else could I be looking for in a library?" He said and then walked off in another direction. Natsu seemed a little off for some reason but I guess that it's not something I need to worry about.

"What book are you looking for?" I caught up with him.

"Erm, a literature book for class."

"Over here then," I, who came here often, pulled him to the classic literature section. "What's it called?" I asked.

"Errrr… It's… It's written by your favourite author Zekua Melon–"

"Zekua Melon?!" _Crap! That was a little too loud. _But I continued in a softer tone, "Zekua Melon? Are you for real? You're studying Zekua Melon's works in Year 3?" _I'm so envious! _

"Uh… yeah." Natsu shrugged nonchalantly. He clearly didn't appreciate cultural masterpieces from Zekua Melon. _His books are a cultural heritage you know, Natsu?!_

"What title are you looking for? No, wait, lemme guess," I held my hand up and stopped him from answering. "Hmm… 'The Butterfly's Dream'******? _No–!_ It must be… _'The Golden Plains'_******!"

"Yes, yes! That's it!" He exclaimed, a little more eagerly about books than usual. _Perhaps he's been infected by how excited I am…? _

"Hmm, that book's around here somewhere…" Even though I came here often, I never looked for Zekua Melon's works because I had already read and re-read them so many times. I searched for awhile and then I found it! I reached up and brought it down from the top shelf.

"Here!" I handed the book to Natsu.

"Okay… Thanks. Then… I think I should return to the poolside now," he said and turned to leave.

"Wait," I pulled on his arm and stopped him. "You know you have to register your loan with the librarian at the counter or at one of the self-help crystal stations first right?"

"Eh?"

Okay, judging by that look on his face, he obviously didn't know. I sighed. "Can't be helped then," I said. "Give me that." I took the book and strode off to the counter. I registered the loan under my name with the librarian. However, when I next turned around, Natsu was nowhere to be seen anymore. _I thought he was following me. Where did he go now? _

I glanced across the library. _Did he leave already? _I walked towards the exit. As I got closer, I heard Gray's voice.

"Oi, Natsu!" He wasn't allowed to insult Natsu with words like 'flamehead' or 'fire lizard' anymore, at least not while we're still on this mission (so says Erza).

My palm halted against the door just as I heard what Gray said next, "Why are you coming out from there alone?" _What does he mean? _

"Huh?" Natsu's voice replied.

"Didn't you manage to find her?" Gray asked.

_"Her"? _My heart skipped a beat and its rhythm became frantic. I was half afraid Natsu might hear it and realize I was just behind the door.

"Who?" Natsu responded, sounding clueless.

"Lucy, of course!" I held back a gasp as I heard Gray's answer. "Didn't you suddenly leave without a word to look for her?"

_What–? Natsu was looking for me? _I stared incredulously at The Golden Plains in my other hand.

"W-what!?" Natsu exclaimed. "That was because–" There was an abrupt pause. _Uh-oh, did Natsu notice me already? _

_Oh well, _I shrugged and pushed open the library doors just as Natsu picked up his sentence again and yelled, "What the heck are you talking about?!"

"Oh, hey, Gray, what's up?" I said as casually as I could when I saw him.

"Yo, Lucy!"

"What are you two up to? Not fighting again?" I pretended some more.

"No, I won't stoop to his pink-headed level."

"WHAT?! You got a problem with my pink hair? Just say it straight to my face, ass!" Natsu stepped closer to Gray.

"That's right, it's an _eyesore!_" Gray took a step towards Natsu.

"STOP!" I pushed the both of them aside and stepped in between them, the book I just borrowed slapped against Gray's chest. "Do _not _start a fight here or I will tell Erza." I threatened as intimidatingly as possible. The antagonism in the air subsided as soon as I said the name 'Erza'.

"So," I spoke again. "What are you doing away from the poolside too, Gray?"

Although the person I asked was Gray, the one who reacted first was Natsu. First, he burst out shouting, "Ahh? This idiot was just looking for me!" And next he grabbed Gray by the collar, yanked him in the opposite direction and ran off like that. Then, just as they were almost out of sight, he looked back and yelled, "See you later at 3, Lucy!"

"O-oh…" I was taken aback by his sudden haste. "Ah–! Don't fight!" That was all I had time to say as I watched the both of them disappear around the corner. _Geez, I hope they heard that… Natsu probably did though, right? _

I began walking back to class, thinking about what just happened along the way. _What was that? Why's he acting so weirdly today? Ah, right! His book! _I looked down at the golden hard cover book in my hand. _He didn't even take it from me… _

Then again… _was he really looking for the book?_

* * *

Back in class, about four hours later, it was finally the last lesson of today. Unfortunately, it was math and time passed by excruciatingly slowly. My mind drifted as I copied whatever the teacher wrote in midair. I zoned out and thought about our mission.

For the past three weeks, Natsu and I hadn't been patrolling anymore. There wasn't a need to if we didn't know how to defend ourselves. It was enough that we'd confirmed their existence because now we can really begin investigating seriously.

Speaking of which, two weeks ago, Erza and Monsieur Sol saw one too. While theirs wasn't a close encounter like Natsu's and mine, they managed to get a clear look before it flew away. _Yes, it flew. _Apparently the ghost they saw in the garden was more like a chimera or hybrid of some sort. They said it was something like a cross between an owl and a human. Just imagining what it might have looked like sounds creepy. Fortunately it didn't attack them and they weren't hurt or anything.

Anyway, step one of our mission is to confirm the sightings of ghosts. 'Seeing is believing', therefore we had to ascertain the truth ourselves and at the same time, see for ourselves what they looked like. With so many sightings reported by the students in the last school semester, it's difficult to believe that all these ghosts are one and the same. But the real question is: how many different ones are there? So far, two of the pairs have encountered two different types. Will the other three pairs encounter three _other _different types?

The next step after confirming their existence is to interrogate witnesses. By questioning the witnesses, we can double confirm that what we saw wasn't just a figment of our imagination (or in my case, a part of my dream). At the same time, we can gather more information about these ghosts and their abilities. _What did they look like? What did the atmosphere feel like? Did they attack you? Do you remember anything after that? _All these questions help us collect information about our enemies and could possibly help us better understand just what exactly we're up against. This is where Natsu and I are at in the mission right now.

From the three reports (the ones that were written by the student council) we've received, Natsu and I had already contacted two out of the three witnesses. They both gave exact descriptions of the same ghost we saw, however, neither of them was attacked by it like I was. _Why? _That question surfaced in my mind. I had an inexplicably strange feeling about this distinct difference, like it was a clue that would lead us to the truth behind all these sightings.

Currently, Natsu and I have been trying to track down the witnesses from the third and last report. They are a notorious pair of delinquents in the school, Boze and Sue. We knew what classes they were from. Although the report said 'Students of Class 207', we asked Director Jose Porla and found that this year they are in different classes, one in 307, another in 308. But the problem was, they skipped school and cut class so often that we haven't been able to meet with them even once! Nevertheless, Natsu and I have never stopped trying our luck everyday during lunch and after school, _although that has also stirred up some really familiar-sounding rumours… _

"…And over here you see that 'a' is -2. Thus, when you substitute it into the equation here…" The teacher's words floated back into my head again as I refocused. I continued acting like the perfect normal student by taking down notes.

"Hey," the girl sitting in front of me abruptly turned around. "It's Lucy right?"

"Huh?" It was rather unexpected because she had never talked to me before. I studied her appearance for awhile: _brown hair, brown eyes… _Then I realized I hadn't replied her. "Oh! Yeah, I'm Lucy but…" _Why is she suddenly talking to me? _

"Over there, that pink-haired guy, outside our classroom," she said and pointed with her eyes. I instinctively turned to look.

_Natsu…? _

The top half of all walls separating the classrooms and the corridor was a transparent glass panel, a window. His back leaned against the window, but I recognized his back so even if he didn't have pink hair, I was certain it was him. _What's he doing here? _

"I saw him with you just now, you walked to school together this morning and you were with him during lunch too; he's one of your friends from Magnolia right?" The girl asked.

"Eh… yes," I hesitated, cautious of where this conversation was headed. _What did she want to a–_

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed so loudly that I disrupted the teacher's explanation. The whole class turned to look at me and my entire face went red.

"Lucy and Eclair, talking in the middle of class! Come up here and do the last two questions!"

"Ugh…" The girl called Eclair groaned as she got up from her seat.

As I followed behind her, I caught a glimpse of Natsu now looking in and– _he's snickering?! That guy, he's not only laughing at me because I got called up by the teacher! He's laughing about what Éclair just said too! _

"Stupid dragon ears…" I muttered under my breath. _I hope he hears that. _

I reached the front of class and got a light pen from the teacher. Eclair, next to me, lifted hers in the air and was about to write, but then she turned to me and said, "He's waiting for you, isn't he?"

But before I could reply her, the teacher shouted, "Eclair! Still talking!"

"Alright, alright, I'm gonna do the question already." Eclair said and she began writing.

* * *

When lessons ended, immediately after the math teacher left the class, I went out to meet Natsu. When he saw me, he greeted me with his usual smile.

I smiled back, unafraid to let him know I was happy to see him. "What are you doing here?" I asked. _What the–? _As soon as I asked that question, I felt a sense of déjà vu. _Somehow I'm always asking him that same question. _

"My class ended early, and I couldn't wait to tell you so I came to find you straightaway."

"What is it?"

"Yahooo~ Lucy's boyfriend-san!" I turned around and Eclair was standing at the doorway.

"He's not–"

"Nice to meet you! I'm Eclair!" She cut me off.

"Natsu Dragion," he said rather naturally.

I opened my mouth to correct her earlier statement, but again was intercepted.

"That scarf, it's very unique," she commented. _Eh? _Normally people would say that it's 'weird' instead of 'unique' right? Because it's May and soon it will be June and before you know it, it will be summer already…

"Ah yeah, it's my father's," Natsu replied.

"I see~ Well, I gotta get going now."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To the dance studio! For my extra curricular activity!" Eclair yelled as she ran off. "See you, Lucy and Lucy's boyfriend!"

"Like I said, he's– oh, forget it." I gave up trying to explain because she had turned the corner and disappeared. Besides, I was already used to this misunderstanding. _She's probably already influenced by those rumours around school too… _

"I joined an after school activity too!" Natsu brought my attention back.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was just going to tell you," Natsu said. "I joined the karate club!"

"WHAT?! That idiot did _whaaat?!_" Gray suddenly appeared from the classroom.

"Karate. You're not just an idiot, but a deaf idiot, aren't you?" Natsu insulted Gray.

"You dumbass, you–"

_"STOP!"_ I shouted at the top of my voice. "Don't start now, certainly not here, in the middle of the corridor. See, now everyone's staring at us."

"No, I think they're only looking because you yelled though?" Natsu said.

"A-anyway!" He might be right, but I stubbornly changed the topic. "Karate sounds fun! When do you start?"

"Today!" He replied excitedly. "Compulsory practice sessions are every Wednesday but there's the optional session every Monday too. I have to go today because the coach wants to see my skills and give me my belt!"

"Oh…" _Then we won't be camping classrooms 307 and 308 together today? _I felt disappointed.

"Cheh! Knowing you, you'll probably be a white belt." Gray hurled an insult at Natsu.

"What? No!? I'll definitely be a black belt!" Natsu retorted.

"No, no, no," Gray shook his head. "Knowing your messy fighting style, you definitely can't be any belt other than white. Karate is not just about fighting you know? It's a form of martial art."

"What's the difference? Fundamentally they're all the same right? Striking positions and the defense stances," Natsu said. "Anyway, that's why, Lucy, we'll go find Boze and Sue together after I see the coach okay?"

"Eh?" The disappointment I felt a moment ago seemed so tiny now. "Okay!" I readily agreed. _Meanwhile I'll just wait for him in the library I guess? _

"Gray-sama!" Just then, Juvia appeared from the classroom. "Sorry for making you wait, Gray-sama!" '_sama'?! _I don't hang out during the day with Juvia very often so _since __when did Juvia start calling Gray 'sama'? _

"You're slow!" Gray chided without any real irritation in his tone. Somehow, it felt like something between those two had changed. _What is it? _

And then I saw it – the thing that changed between them. Juvia's dark blue eyes sparkled like when the sun's rays hit the surface of an ocean and she was positively glowing from head to toe whenever she looked at Gray. _S-she likes him! I'm sure of it! _

_But what about Gray? _I watched him closely._ Did Gray know? Does he like her too? _

"C'mon, let's go," Gray said coldly as usual and then walked off without waiting for Juvia. I watched as Juvia hurriedly kept up with Gray step for step and walk off towards the poolside café.

_Nope, he totally doesn't realize. Gray that ice block! I'm going to ask Juvia about this someday! _

"Then, see you later, Natsu?" I said.

Just as I was about to walk off, he grabbed my wrist and said, "Wait. Aren't you going to come watch me?"

"Eh? I can go?"

He nodded and then said, "Yeah, I want you to come."

I looked straight at his face and into his dark eyes. That earnest look on his face caught me off guard and I could not hide my creeping blush. Suddenly a thought popped into my head. _The way I'm looking at Natsu right now, is it the same as how Juvia looks at Gray? _

Without warning, Natsu's hand slipped down to mine and the moment he held it, he shot off. Once again, I'm sent breathless, pulled along and absorbed into his pace. It's just like old times.

* * *

When we got to the dojo, Natsu and I paused outside as I caught my breath.

"You!" I panted. "Slow down a little!"

"Hehe! But you have to work out more otherwise you'll have lots of fats, Lucy!"

"Don't smile so widely as you say that!" I yelled but his smile remained just as bright.

Seeing as I was back to normal again, Natsu and I took off our shoes and went up to the doors of the dojo. Now that I was just outside the door, I could hear noises coming from inside.

_"Hah!" "Osu!" "Yaaah!" _

It was the hearty sounds of people who were probably in the midst of sparring.

Natsu slid open the dojo doors, revealing a new world behind. About ten pairs in white karate robes, and some with protective gears, were sparring. The sweat dripped down their foreheads as neither party was willing to back down. Everybody took their matches seriously. Once, somebody toppled and fell hard against the tatami mat floors, but pretty soon, he got up and resumed his fight.

"Focus! Don't hesitate! But don't be rash and make faults! Every movement must be precise! Accurate!" A huge voice boomed. I studied the spacious room and spotted a man whose physique matched that voice. _He must be their instructor, the karate sensei. _He looked like someone from ancient times in that white karate uniform and that black belt. He reminded me of Elfman.

"Awesome!" Natsu beside me exclaimed in admiration. Indeed this was fascinating, but at the same time, it was something I would never attempt. This was really more of Natsu's thing.

We watched for another minute or two before the coach bellowed again and everybody stopped.

"Ten minute break! After that we'll do physical training!" He shouted.

Looking like he knew what he was doing, Natsu approached the instructor. I wasn't sure whether I should follow or stay put. I paused and looked around for a second. Not wanting to stand around awkwardly amongst so many karate guys, I decided to follow Natsu in the end.

"Good afternoon, sensei! I'm Natsu Dragion from class 306!" Natsu greeted loudly and enthusiastically.

"Oh! Natsu Dragion? Arata sensei mentioned you would be coming by today." _Arata sensei must be Natsu's homeroom teacher. _

The karate instructor seemed amicable despite his buff demeanour.

"Yes! I'm here for a try-out!" Natsu replied. I noticed how Natsu didn't bow and say 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu' but then again it didn't suit his character.

"Great! I love having new students!" The coach exclaimed. Then he noticed me standing around nearby. "And who might this be? Are you interested in joining the karate club too?"

"Me? Oh no, I'm just here to watch Natsu in his try-out," I said politely.

"I see… A little moral support from the girlfriend might bring you some luck eh, Natsu-kun?"

I felt my cheeks heat up instantly. _How is it that even the karate sensei thinks we're together even though he's only seen us once? It must be those darn rumours that are flying around. _

"Um… we are just friends," I said, kind of abashed. Natsu nodded as though to reemphasize that point.

"Am I wrong? I thought… Well, sorry about that! Anyway, wait here for a while, Natsu," said the coach before he went off somewhere.

I looked at Natsu, totally unfazed by another comment about the two of us being a couple. _He really doesn't think about romance at all. Why did I fall for someone like that? _

When the instructor returned, he had a set of white clothes neatly folded in his hands. "Here, the karate _gi,_" he presented it to Natsu with both hands. "Put them on and we'll begin your try-out."

Natsu's black eyes glistened as he took the white uniform from the coach. I waited in the dojo for Natsu to return from changing. The coach sat me by the side before he returned to give instructions to the current members.

"Yosh! Everybody!" Sensei shouted for everyone's attention. "Do the entire _kihon _drill routine! I want everybody to shout loudly so I know you're not skiving off when my back is turned! Meanwhile I'll be calling out a few people to help me with Natsu-kun's try-out over here," he gestured towards the area where I sat on the tatami mat. "Got it?!"

"YES SENSEI!" A resounding response came from all the members. With that, they automatically formed neat lines and got into their basic stance. At this point I realized there actually were some girls in the karate club too.

"Everybody! We're starting with basic stances now! Get ready!" A black belt right at the front in the middle line shouted. He gave me the impression of an experienced senpai.

"OSU!" Everyone yelled in unison. _I can't get over how loud they are. _

"Wait, wait, wait!" The coach held up one hand to signal a stop. "Wait a sec! Boze! Sue! Has anybody seen the two of them?!"

_Hold up– is he talking about Boze and Sue from 307 and 308? _Now I was alert.

"Sensei!" Some guy in the back raised his hand and spoke. "Boze told me he had something on today so he won't be coming! I think Sue is with him. But Boze said they're coming on Wednesday!"

_Whaaat?! Boze and Sue are in the karate club!? And what's more, they're coming this Wednesday!? _This was the ultimate inside info!

"'Something on'? What could he have other than another street fight?! That kid never learns!" The coach shook his head in displeasure. "Those two are the only blue belts at the moment. I wanted them to spar with Natsu but nevermind…" He seemed to be muttering but his deep voice was still loud enough for everyone's ears.

"Alright, resume your _kihon _drill!"

"YES SENSEI!"

"Get ready!" The black belt in front yelled again.

"ONE! …TWO! …THREE!" They counted loudly as they changed their stances, all perfectly in sync.

The coach shouted a few names over the counting and some students emerged from the rows. They came closer to where I was seated and I saw there were three guys in total: one yellow belt, one orange belt and one purple belt.

When Natsu reappeared, he was in spotless white from head to toe. _Come to think of it, I've never seen Natsu wearing all white. It's always that black vest and that… scarf. _The karate uniform fitted Natsu perfectly except Igneel's scarf did not match.

"Natsu-kun, you have to take off your scarf. That's not part of the official uniform," the instructor, who frowned at the sight of Natsu in karate _gi _and scarf, said.

"Oh? Right…" Natsu looked down at his scarf.

I thought he would hesitate a little but he took it off straightaway. Next thing I knew, Natsu had squatted down before me and slung Igneel's scarf around my neck.

_Eh–? _

I was stunned for a short moment but at the same time, I was happy because Natsu's actions meant he had a great amount of trust in me.

"Take care of my scarf for me," he muttered under his breath. I only managed to hear him because he was so close. His voice was so serious that I could only nod. I remembered what happened the last time I wore his scarf. I'm sure he remembers it too.

Without his scarf, the scar on Natsu's neck was now obvious but nobody seemed to ask him about it. I watched from the side as Natsu and the sensei talked for a brief moment. I didn't pay much attention to their conversation but I reckon the instructor was telling Natsu about the general rules of karate or something.

Soon, Natsu and the yellow belt guy were the only ones who stood in the centre of the space. The instructor and the other two pupils, who he called out, stood watching by the sidelines. I didn't think Natsu's fighting skills were inferior to anybody's but I didn't know anything about karate or what the rules of the try-out were. And so, I felt slightly uneasy and anxious for Natsu. My best friend, however, seemed completely relaxed and didn't have a single crease of worry on his face. Conversely, he smiled reassuringly at me.

"Ready!" Sensei shouted.

"Osu!" The guy with the yellow belt yelled and got into his stance.

Natsu did not shout but brought his centre lower by crouching slightly. His eyes were sharp as they eyed his opponent. He was focused and alert to the slightest movement or sound his opponent might make, as well as sensitive to the depth and rhythm of his opponent's breathing.

When the fight began, I never took my eyes off Natsu, but everything that happened next went by in a flash; I wasn't sure I saw everything.

"START!" Sensei shouted.

Immediately the yellow belt student made a strike for Natsu's left, followed by another thrust for Natsu's right. But Natsu agilely dodged the first, blocked the second and sent his fist directly for his enemy's face. His opponent didn't have enough time to dodge, yet Natsu's fist stopped right beside his opponent's cheek, a mere inch away from contact. At that point, the both of them froze for a second. Then, it was as though a reset spell was cast, the both of them got into their beginning stances again.

"One point!" Sensei shouted from the sidelines. I didn't quite know what was going on, but as I watched more I began to understand.

This time, without a signal from the coach, Natsu attacked first. He stepped forward, but his opponent shuffled backward. They both shuffled back and forth repeatedly, each seemingly biding their time. In an instant, Natsu did a little jump forward, spun round in a flash and (nearly) delivered a roundhouse kick to his opponent's abdomen. I didn't know how he did it but he stopped right before seriously impacting the yellow belt guy. _Was it his Dragon Slayer reflexes at work here? _

"Two points! First to get three points, Natsu wins!" Sensei announced._ One point for a punch, two points for a kick, and first to get three points wins. I get it now. _

I smiled at him when he looked my way. He's definitely pleased with himself.

Next, the orange belt student stepped forward and it was round two. In a flash, Natsu won again! And in just a moment, he even defeated the purple belt guy!

The minute Natsu flung a high kick towards the purple belt guy's head, the entire dojo arena went silent. The students at the back of the dojo, who were doing the _kihon _routine, abruptly stopped shouting and started murmuring amongst themselves instead.

_What is it? Why do I get the feeling that Natsu just did something unthinkable again? That crazy idiot! What if his identity gets exposed because of this?! _

"Natsu-kun… have you really never learnt karate before?" Sensei asked with a hint of disbelief.

Natsu shook his head. I shook my head too, in disapproval though. He just doesn't know how to hold back, that Natsu…

"Well, actually I don't think you have. Your form is not well-balanced, your style follows no real technique," sensei said. "But your fighting sense is truly unique, Natsu-kun."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. _Sure, his Dragon Slayer senses are definitely unique. _Fortunately, nobody seemed to suspect anything.

"Well, remember to report for practice this Wednesday, Natsu-kun!"

"I'm in?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Of course you're in…" I heard the yellow belt guy beside me mutter somewhat grudgingly. Natsu probably heard it too.

"Yes, you can keep that set of uniform," sensei said.

"And the belt?" Natsu asked.

"What about it? You're a white belt. All beginners start from white belt, even if they are as skilled as you," sensei said naturally.

Natsu's face contorted in shock. What Gray said earlier actually came true! This must be a really hard blow for Natsu. _I can't imagine what Gray would say or how long he'd laugh at Natsu when he finds out! _

* * *

"That was exciting, Natsu! Karate looks interesting, but I don't think I'll ever pick it up. Plus it's extremely disciplined so I would never survive even if I did join," I said as I put on my shoes at the entrance of the dojo.

"Disciplined? Karate is?" Natsu said. He picked up his shoes instead of putting them on.

"Yeah, didn't you see them doing their drills when you came back from changing?" I slipped on my other shoe.

"Huh? That? Isn't that just easy stuff?" He walked off barefoot after saying that. I simply followed him.

"It's not that easy!" I disagreed. "They must have practised it hundreds of times before they could be so perfectly in sync like just now."

"What are you talking about? There's no way somebody has to practise a hundred times for something like that," he stubbornly insisted.

_By the way, where are we? _I stopped in my tracks because I suddenly could not recognize these unfamiliar surroundings. _Why did Natsu walk in here? _My eyes swept across the place and I found that it wasn't a classroom because there weren't any of the usual desks or chairs. Instead it was empty with sectioning that looked like cubicles but somehow it didn't feel like we were in a restroom.

The place seemed void of any other person's existence, so I thought it was the right time to tell Natsu about the info I just heard on Boze and Sue. I doubt anybody hung around the dojo much unless they were in the karate club or the kendo club because the dojo was in a pretty isolated part of the school compound. Still, I turned around and closed the door.

"Lucy, what are you–"

"I found out something just now, about Boze and Sue," I cut him off quickly.

His eyes widened in surprise.

"When you joined karate, did you know Boze and Sue were members too?"

"No way! You're saying…?" He was just as shocked as me when I first learnt about it. But that was to be expected because this sheer dumb luck was unbelievable.

"Yes," I nodded in confirmation. "They're members and they have blue belts, but most of all…! They're going to show up on Wednesday!" I proudly announced.

"Seriously?! Awesome! We'll catch them on Wednesday and make them tell us about the ghost!"

"Is it alright? For me to be there, I mean," I said. "After all it's the official club session and I'm not a member…"

"Then you should join too!"

"Hell no!" I shrieked, horrified by that idea. "Didn't I just tell you I could never join? Besides, if I'm joining any club activity, it'll be the library club." _I'll even get unlimited loans each week, privilege to borrow reference books, and also access to the library outside opening hours… _

"Is that so?" Natsu replied. "Still, I think it'll be alright for you to come on Wednesday."

"Hmm… I'll see how it goes," I said. "By the way, Natsu, when are you gonna wear your shoes? And why did you walk into this strange place?" I looked around the room again.

"Lucy," he said.

"What?" I replied almost instantly.

"This is the changing room. The _male _changing room," he stated seriously and immediately I felt flustered with embarrassment.

"OH!? Sorry! I'll leave right now!"

I headed for the door, but just as I opened it, a force slammed it shut again. I turned around and was met with a close up of Natsu. With one forearm against the door, he leaned in. The distance between us lessened and I quickly grew nervous and self-conscious.

"Oi," he said, the tone in his voice taking me by surprise. "I may not look like it but I'm majorly pissed off right now."

"W-why?" I stammered. The resolve in his eyes and the austerity in his voice scattered my thoughts. _He's too close right now. Is it purely because he's too close that my heartbeat has become so unreliable? What is it about his voice that rattles me so and sets free all the butterflies of my stomach? _

"Because of you, of course," he said directly. "You've been acting more weird than usual recently."

"H-have I?"

He nodded with a rare serious expression.

"Are you sick?" Out of nowhere, he put his other hand up to my forehead. "No, your temp is normal… Then are you feeling some aftereffect of the ghost incident?" I observed him grow increasingly worried.

"No, I'm not sick," I said as I lightly brushed his hand away. "I'm fine."

"Then what is it?" Concern lined his voice. "Is something bothering you? Someone troubling you?"

I shook my head meekly.

"If there's somebody bulling you," Natsu's voice turned dark. "Tell me who it is and I'll burn him to a crisp." Natsu's now clenched fist went on fire.

"Don't!" I said, anxious even though nobody else was in this room. "Put that out right now!"

He compliantly did.

"Nobody is bullying me!" I tried to reassure him.

"Alright, then what? What's going on?" He urged. "_Tell me, _what's on your mind?"

His eyes locked with mine. _That intense look in his eyes was so compelling; he just didn't make it fair. _Along with the concern written all over his face and the feelings in his voice… He was all very persuasive– so persuasive that I nearly confessed right then and there. He stared until I could not take it anymore.

"I–" _Wait, Lucy, _a voice at the back of my mind stopped me. _Think about it carefully. Is it really alright to tell him the truth? _I was unsure. I wanted to tell him; I wanted him to know, yet all at once, I didn't want him to find out either…

_Then don't tell him, _the voice inside my head said. _If you're not ready yet, don't tell him. _

For that reason, I could only bear with Natsu's stare as I tried to come up with an excuse.

All of a sudden, Natsu's ear twitched and his determined expression dropped as alarm flickered across his face.

"What is it?" _What did he hear? _

His posture relaxed and he stepped away from me. "Nothing, it's just the karate guys who've finished their practice and are heading here right now."

It was my turn to be alarmed.

"You better get out of here," he said.

I nodded without saying a word.

"Whatever it is, don't worry!" His hand patted my head, messing up my hair. "But don't think this talk is over! I don't know what it is, but I'll find out sooner or later!" He ended with a smile. His tone was lighter now, and the tension in the air eased a little.

I took Igneel's scarf off and put it back on him. "Then I will wait for you to slowly find out yourself," I said, offering him a vague answer behind those words. _But he wouldn't realize, would he? _

And with that, I left.

* * *

The air around the telepad glowed and shone as a silhouette, and eventually a person, manifested on it. It was Levy.

"Welcome back," I said casually. I was seated on my bed with my back leaning against the headboard, staring at 'The Golden Plains' in my hands– staring and mulling over things, not reading.

_So… In the end, I never got the chance to pass him the book…_

Ever since my narrow escape in the male changing room, I've been cooped up in my dorm room and only left once for dinner. Right now it was near midnight, yet I was nowhere near feeling sleepy or wanting to sleep. My busy thoughts kept me occupied and they accompanied me where I was in this room alone. These days Juvia and Levy would not return till late because they were patrolling more often and for longer hours.

"I'm back," Levy responded. "Wait, why are you still awake? It's almost 12 you know?" She realized I was not usually where I was when she returned from night duty, which was fast asleep under the covers.

"Eh…" I looked down at the book while I thought of a reply that wouldn't worry her.

"Ah, you're reading?" Levy assumed. She walked over and took a glance at the cover. "'The Golden Plains'? Haven't you read that before?"

"Hm? Yeah," I replied. But I re-read books all the time so Levy probably didn't think much of it.

"Where's Juvia?" She asked as she went about the room, putting her things down and preparing herself for bed. "Is she back yet?"

"Nope, I haven't seen her," I replied. I looked down at the golden cover again. I was more perplexed than ever despite several hours of thinking. The thoughts that ran around in my head tired me out. But when I looked at this book, I couldn't help but feel hopeful, hopeful that Natsu just _might _feel something for me too.

It makes me fearful to know that I am harbouring hopes that Natsu and I might become more than friends and partners. _But what I overheard from that conversation outside the library today… is it okay to interpret them like that? Is my instinct telling me the wrong thing? _

_No, it's best not to get my hopes up; the greater the hopes, the higher the fall. _

"Lucy, did you hear me?" Levy's voice regained my attention and I refocused.

"Huh? Sorry, my mind just wandered off. What did you say?"

My bed was in the middle of Levy's and Juvia's, and Levy was sitting on the edge of her bed now, facing me.

"I want to ask you something," Levy said.

"Okay, sure."

"Um…" Levy appeared bashful. _Why is she hesitating? _"Lucy, what kind of person do you think Gajeel is?"

_Ehh? That was totally not what I was expecting. _Nevertheless, I gave it some thought. "Hmm… Apathetic, tough, cold…" I watched her expression dampen as she heard the first three words I chose to describe Gajeel with. But I was not done yet; I remembered what Natsu once told me about Gajeel and continued, "Confident in his abilities, strong, reliable and above all, loyal. He may not be a nice guy, but's he a decent guy." By the time I finished my answer, Levy's whole being lit up.

"You really think so?!"

"Yeah," I nodded. "But why do you ask?" I was puzzled. Why would Levy ask me such a question? _Unless… _"Levy, could it be… that you like Gajeel?"

"Wha- No!"

"Okay, you know you're a bad liar," I said with an 'I-knew-it' smile. Levy looked around shiftily; her eyes looked in every direction except at me.

"No, that was just a casual question," she said but I was not convinced.

"There's no use trying to hide it, I can tell with just a glance because it's written all over your face!" As soon as I said that, her face pinkened and she looked down shyly. "You are _so_ falling for him!"

At that moment, the telepad glowed again. Juvia was back.

"Juvia is back," the rain woman said as she walked to her bed and dumped her stuff there.

"Oh, welcome back!" I said brightly.

"Lucy, still up?" Juvia looked at me with mild confusion.

"Heh, yeah," I said. I glanced at Levy who had gone all quiet. I wondered if she felt too embarrassed and uncomfortable to speak about her feelings in front of Juvia.

Juvia, too, sensed something was not right. "Sorry, were you two in the middle of something just now?" She said, as formally as ever. "Juvia will go take a shower, so please carry on."

_Take a shower? What for when her whole body is made of water? _She's clearly just trying to give us space.

"Wait," Levy got up and held onto Juvia's arm, stopping her. "It's ok. I'm ok with Juvia here."

"What's going on?" Juvia had no idea. She looked at me and then she turned to Levy.

But Levy did not reply right away. She slowly brought Juvia and they both sat on the edge of Levy's bed.

Levy brought her knees up, hugged them close and rested her chin on them. Then with apparent uncertainty, she said, "I… I think I might like Gajeel…?"

Juvia's eyes widened upon hearing this news.

"W-what does Juvia think?" Levy asked cautiously.

"Juvia thinks that it's wonderful!"

"Really? What a relief!" Levy sighed.

I was the one who gave a puzzled look, but Juvia was the one who asked the question. "Why? Why is Levy relieved?"

"Because, I don't feel like I am allowed to like him if even my close friends don't approve…" Juvia looked surprised to have been just addressed as a 'close friend' by Levy.

"You silly girl! We're happy for you! Right, Juvia?"

Juvia nodded quickly and said, "Yes, Gajeel is a recluse, but at least he doesn't pretend."

I grabbed my pillow and hugged it tightly. I was prepared to ask Levy about her newfound feelings all night. "Tell us all about it! When did you start liking him?"

"Um… I'm not sure?" Levy said. "I just kept thinking about it. I kept thinking but I couldn't find an answer. Love… or like, whichever, I still don't have a concrete answer. What exactly do these emotions mean?"

Unhesitatingly, I said, "What's with that? Naturally you wouldn't get an answer no matter how much you think about it right? Your feelings aren't like ancient scripts that you can decode through analysis. You'll know it when that person is next to you." As soon as I said those words, I felt a pang within me because _I know it when he's next to me. _

"Juvia agrees," Juvia said. "You just don't realize it until the person is right there."

_Oh yeah! _"Juvia, you…" My eyes probably gleamed with excitement right now. "…like Gray right?"

"How does Lucy know?!" She blushed instantly.

"What! Juvia likes Gray?!" Levy exclaimed.

"Yep," I said before Juvia had any chance to deny. "Why didn't you tell us, Juvia? We can help you."

"Juvia doesn't need your help! Juvia has already confessed to him!"

_"WHAT?!" _Levy and I both exclaimed together.

"When?!" I shouted in addition.

"A week ago or so," Juvia said.

"How did you do it?" Levy asked.

"Gray-sama, I love you!" She eagerly demonstrated, including actions and expression.

"You really did that?!" Levy could not believe it.

"H-how brave…!" I was in awe.

"Wait, so does that mean Juvia and Gray are going out now?" Levy questioned.

"Yeah, so what happened after that? What did Gray say?" I leaned in, eager to know.

"Nothing, it's like he didn't hear me, or he didn't take me seriously," Juvia said. "But it doesn't matter because Juvia will do it over and over again! No matter how many times it takes, I'll make him understand my feelings." She said with admirable determination.

_Confess huh? There's no way I can do that. I'm not even sure what I want right now. _

"Juvia, you're so bold…!" Levy was looking at Juvia in a different light too.

"That's nothing much," Juvia said. "More importantly, when Juvia realized her feelings, Juvia didn't want to live a second more without letting Gray know."

"I see…" I said. She's so sure of what she wants.

"I don't think I can do that. That guy is _Gajeel _you know? Can you imagine how he'll react if I were to say something like that? What's more, I don't even have the courage to do it anyway," Levy said. "No way, no way! It's impossible!"

"Hahaha! He'd probably be like 'Haah? What's with that?' and then walk off or something like that?" I tried imagining. _It seems to be a common Dragon Slayer trait to be dense and blatantly unaware of other people's feelings. _

"Yeah… That's a problem," Juvia said. "Knowing him, he probably would do something like that… Gajeel is insensitive towards such things. Juvia personally thinks his Dragon Slayer senses heighten his reflexes at the expense of his emotional capacity."

"Exactly! Natsu's like that too!" Levy said.

I jumped at his name. For the past few minutes, I had all but forgotten about Natsu.

"That's right!" Levy yelled, and all of a sudden I had a foreboding feeling. "Lucy likes Natsu too right?!"

I _KNEW _IT! _I knew she was going to go there. _It was my turn to blush and hem and haw.

It's probably the first time Juvia heard such a direct claim about Natsu and I but she didn't look too surprised. "Eh? Lucy and Natsu is it?" She said calmly. I could almost see her imagining Natsu and me together in her mind. Juvia had a fertile imagination.

"I don't like him like that!" I denied, even though that was probably a lie.

"You do! And you have been liking him for a really long time too!" Levy, who always watched my interactions with Natsu even back at Fairy Tail, said.

"Juvia agrees, Juvia can tell too," Juvia said. "Juvia actually thought you two were together already."

"…that's common right? All the rumours about that are spreading too," I said.

"No, Juvia knew from the way Natsu looked at you during the ghost attack incident. Does Lucy remember? When you finally awoke in Erza's room, Natsu was so visibly relieved," Juvia said.

"Oh yeah! There was that too!" Levy chimed in. "Natsu looked so worried when he carried you in the other day! In fact, hasn't he constantly been worried for you?"

"…what are the two of you saying? Natsu and I are partners, obviously he worries." _Why do they suddenly have so many things to say when it comes to me?! _

"But, Lucy! Surely you've realized that by now? Both your feelings and his I mean," Levy said.

"His feelings?" My heart did a little flip when I heard that.

"Yeah!" Levy said. "Honestly, when will the two of you finally get together? We're all dying from anxiety and impatience just watching the two of you. It's ridiculous! No two people who like each other so much should be like that."

"Who's 'we'?" I asked.

"Me, Juvia…" Levy looked at Juvia for affirmation and Juvia nodded. "…Gray, Erza, and everyone else in Fairy Tail."

_"Everyone?" _I said. _How can all of them be so sure when I don't even fully understand myself? _"Give me a break, there's no way all those people think of Natsu and me like that too."

"Ah, but they do!" Levy insisted.

"It's alright, Levy," Juvia said. "Lucy may not believe it now but she'll probably realize it soon enough. Although… Juvia is curious. What will Lucy do if she realizes her feelings?"

"_Haaah?! _How should I know?" _I really didn't. _

"Of course, you have to confess!" Levy jumped to reply. "Natsu will understand straight away! He likes you too that's why. It's not the same as me and Gajeel…"

"Is that so…" I looked down at the golden book in my lap. "You never know, Gajeel might feel the same way too," I tried to steer the conversation away from me.

However it didn't work. "Juvia supports Levy's suggestion. Lucy should confess," Juvia said. _Why were they so confident about my feelings? And Natsu's feelings too? _

"I– I can't! I won't!" I shouted. "I mean, if I even _had _such feelings for him in the first place…"

"Why?!" Levy and Juvia both cried in unison. The power of having common goals was scary. The friendship between these two blunettes seemed to have strengthened in just an instant because they were bonded by a common interest, which is, unfortunately for me, my love life.

_Because I'm too scared to say it! _I screamed in my mind. However, in actuality I just said, "I don't know!? Why are we even talking about this anyway? Whatever, I'm going to sleep!"

I put the golden book on the bedside table. Then I got under the covers and pulled them over my head.

"You have to be more honest with yourself, Lucy…" I heard Levy's voice but I refused to respond.

I heard the two of them move around, and after I-don't-know-how-long, Levy said, "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi," Juvia said in response, and then somebody turned the lights off.

Afterwards, somewhere along the way, I fell asleep.

* * *

Wednesday came in a flash. At first glance it was a normal day like any other. But slowly I realized that wasn't the case. _Somehow, there seemed to be even more attention on me than usual!? _More eyes seemed to stare at me wherever I went, but it was only when Éclair talked to me that I found out what really went on.

"Hey! Lucy, wait!" Éclair caught me right after the last bell. I was about to run off because Natsu was waiting for me at the dojo.

"Yes?" I turned around.

"When did Natsu pick up karate? He's really good right?"

"How did you know that?" I was amazed by her resources. I was the only person watching at the dojo that day, so how did she know what happened?

"Oh? You don't know yet? Everybody knows about Natsu's skills now; he's famous! I heard about it from one of my friends, and she was told by one of the girls from the karate club," Éclair said. "His pink hair really stands out! What's more, I heard he looked really cool when he fought on Monday!"

"What!?" So that's why so many people were staring? They weren't looking at me; they were looking at Natsu who just happens to be with me really often._ Geez… Why did Natsu have to attract so much attention wherever he goes? _

"Too bad I have club activities today, otherwise I would go and see for myself," Éclair said. "Is he really not your boyfriend?"

"Of course not!"

"Is that so? Well, you better be prepared then. Word of him has spread throughout school like wild fire. He's really popular right now," Éclair said and then walked off.

_'you better be prepared'? What for? _I could not take her words seriously, until I got to the dojo. What I saw there astonished me.

_S-so… crowded…!? Why?! _

I stood outside amongst the many pairs of shoes. The dojo doors were wide open and a lot of students, who were not in karate _gi_, gathered inside. They were all girls.

I stopped short at this scene. I considered whether I should even bother taking off my shoes and trying to enter. The girls were all talking and making a huge commotion. Club session probably hadn't started or it wouldn't be this noisy. The shouts from the karate members during practise would silence them all. Perhaps sensei hadn't arrived yet?

"Hey, hey, can you see anything?" A girl at the back nudged her friend. They both tiptoed and tried to look over the crowd.

"Just barely!" said the girl's friend who was taller. "Wow– it's true! His hair is really pink!"

"Ehhhh? I can't see anything!" That girl started jumping.

"Kya! He looks so cool in his karate _gi!_" Some other girl at the other end shrieked.

"I know right?! He's so good-looking!" Another girl yelled.

My eyebrow twitched in irritation at their superficial remarks. _Are these girls stupid or what?! _

I slipped my shoes off. My motive for today was to hunt down Boze and Sue. One way or another, I had to get through. However, though I knew I couldn't leave, when I looked at the hoard of girls in my way, my resolve began to falter.

_Isn't there an easier way to get close to Boze and Sue? How can I get through THAT? Why must so many of them be here? _

_Argh! Why did Natsu have to be so reckless on Monday? Can't he hold back a little for once?! _For some reason I was more angry than usual at him for the problems he caused with his rash behaviour.

Just then, the commotion got even louder and I guessed it's because of that pink head of hair moving through the crowd.

"Sorry, let me through," he said as he maneuvered through the crowd. The girls made way and he emerged in his white karate uniform with his mismatching scarf.

"Lucy!" He sunnily smiled and waved as he came up to me.

All at once, I felt multiple pairs of eyes staring daggers at me from the sides. _Uh oh, _I thought. Something felt very wrong with this situation…

"N-natsu," I tried to act naturally, but I was afraid that if I did, it would result in more misunderstandings, more attention and more trouble. "Did you already know I was here?"

Natsu moved closer and said softly, "I could smell you as soon as you walked into the corridor."

"Oh, right," I said and then took a step back uneasily. "Um… there're a lot of people here today huh?"

"I know," he said. Then he lowered his voice, "From what I hear, I think they're here to watch me but they're so noisy… How I wish they would leave uh…"

"But that's all your fault right? You went too far on Monday!" I said aloud, totally forgetting the presence of so many around us. It wasn't my intention to start an argument though.

"Me?!" He replied, just as loud. "It's not like you did anything to stop me!"

"It was too sudden alright? I couldn't have stopped you even if I wanted to!" _That's it! Initially I was just annoyed, but now I'm plain pissed! _

"OH! So you didn't really want me to stop right?!" He yelled back. "Then there's no problem is there? Just let me do whatever I want!"

"Didn't I let you have your way already? What's the point? You always just go ahead and do whatever you feel like!" _What's with the direction of this argument… Why are we even arguing about this? This wasn't even the main issue here… _That was the only thing I thought of as this conversation went on.

"You're weird, Lucy, blaming me when you clearly enjoyed it as much as I did," Natsu said out loud but did not shout anymore.

Suddenly I realized that the whispers in the background grew louder.

_"What? What?" "What's going on?" _

_"Lovers' quarrel?" _

_"So the rumours are true then?!" _

"Ah, but aren't they a little too bold to be shouting about _it _so openly?"

_…come again? _

_Did that girl just–?! Did she really just say that out loud!? _

_You're wrong! _I wanted to clarify, but I couldn't do so without messing things up even further. _Damn it! Everybody's gonna draw their own assumptions after hearing all that! _Aaaaarghh.

I was sure Natsu heard what they said too, but he was unfazed and paid little attention to them. Right now, his demeanour softened and he spoke to me gently, "Alright, I'm sorry. I know you've been in a bad mood recently, acting strangely and all. Are you still not gonna tell me what's going?"

"There's nothing wrong," I said defiantly. I could never stay mad at him for long.

Out of nowhere, the booming voice of a certain someone resounded. "WHOA!" he went, and all the murmurs ceased. The sensei had arrived.

"What's with the overwhelming number of people here? Is everybody interested in joining the karate club?" He walked up to Natsu's side. "Welcome, Natsu-kun. Glad to see you here." He first said to Natsu, and then he turned to me. "Great to see you back again, Lucy-chan." I gave a weak smile and small nod in response.

"Alright, everybody get inside! We're starting now!"

"Wait," Natsu pulled me back when I made to walk into the dojo. He removed his scarf hurriedly and held it out to me. "This," he said and broke into his sunny smile. "You'll look after it for me right?"

_I'd hate to imagine what those girls will think if they see this. _

"…I won't let it out of my sight," I took it from him after a brief hesitation.

_Screw what other people think. _

* * *

The many onlookers sat in three rows along the length of the capacious dojo. Much to my embarrassment, sensei told some of the girls to move so I could sit in the front. I did not refuse his act of goodwill because I needed to front row seat to look for Boze and Sue. All the girls were silent now; nobody made a sound. Sensei's presence just magically had that kind of effect on everyone.

"Attention everyone! Today we're doing something slightly different!" He raised his voice. There seemed to be more karate members present today, but the dojo was spacious and could accommodate everyone, including all the observers.

"Today, you'll be sparring, but against opponents of a different belt class. The purpose of this is to mix it up! Otherwise, you'll be having the same partners all the time and your experience will be limited by your belt class. I do not want that to happen because your real enemies in the outside world would most likely not be at the same level as you, but a higher level instead."

Next he yelled names and paired everybody up. Natsu got paired with the black belt guy who led the drill routine on Monday. That guy must be pretty good, but Natsu probably wouldn't fair too badly against him.

"What's that sensei thinking? Pairing up a white belt with a black belt? What's more, it's not just any black belt but Matsushima-kun too!" I heard somebody whisper behind me.

When the sparring started, I was busy searching for blue belts. Natsu had fought tougher enemies before so I paid no attention to his match. I examined all the other members out on the tatami floor, searching for the colour blue. It took me awhile, because there were so many members, before I eventually found it.

_A blue belt! And just two pairs away was another blue belt! _

I kept my eyes on them and studied their appearance, imprinting their looks into my memory.

Boze was a dark-skinned bald guy and Sue was a girl with light brown skin and green hair. Their darker than average skin tones gave them a tough exterior. As expected from delinquents huh? Upon careful observation, I noticed they had some scratches on their faces. _Were those injuries sustained from street fights? _

Next I studied their fighting style with what limited knowledge I had about fighting and karate. Boze's opponent was a yellow belt and Sue's opponent was a female purple belt. Both their movements seemed fast compared to their respective opponents. But occasionally Sue would cringe, seemingly as a response to pain, and her moments would be hindered, giving her opponent the chance to strike. She only managed to dodge a portion of her opponent's attacks, but I wasn't sure if it was because of her injury or because her opponent had a purple belt and was more skilled than she was.

_Is she injured elsewhere? _I watched her movements more closely and came to notice a pattern. Whenever she shifted her weight to her right leg in order to avoid an attack or shuffle around, her subsequent movements would be stiff, as though there was a pain holding her back. _Why would she still show up if her leg hurt? I could not understand her mindset. _

_"KYAAAA!" _A deafening shriek came from my right and I automatically looked in that direction.

_"No way! Natsu won?!" _Some girls said.

The black belt called Matsushima was on the floor. He looked spent and out of breath. Natsu reached out a hand to help him up and the guy accepted his help. _It must be difficult for him to accept defeat at the hands of a white belt. _I felt sorry for him.

I sighed and shook my head. _There he goes again. Doesn't he know the meaning of 'hold back'? Apparently not._

Displeased by the amount of noise the girls made, sensei ordered everybody to stop and take a ten minute break. He then proceeded to give the girls a stern talking to for two minutes or so.

When I next spotted Natsu, _he was already talking to Boze and Sue?! _I could not believe my eyes. And without being fully aware, I had already gotten up and was making my way towards them.

"Oh, Lucy!" Natsu saw me approaching them.

"Hey!" I responded naturally.

"These two are Boze and Sue!" He introduced them to me excitedly. I knew what he really meant was _'Look, it's Boze and Sue!' _

"I'm Lucy Ashley," I politely introduced myself.

"Oh? I've heard of you," Boze said.

"You have?"

"Uhhuh, so have I. You're the blond girl with big boobs from Magnolia that all the guys in our school are fawning over right now," Sue said tactlessly without meaning to offend me (I think).

"Errrr… Is that so…" I could only reply awkwardly. When I looked over at Natsu, I saw he was frowning.

"But obviously nobody will dare to make a move on you _now_," Boze followed up with Sue's statement.

"Why is that?" I asked because it felt like the natural thing to say.

"Because you have such a strong protector, of course," Boze said and gestured towards Natsu. _'Protector'? Not 'boyfriend'? _The way they thought about things seemed to differ from the norm. Is this what goes on in the mind of a delinquent?

"Say, what would you say if we asked you to teach us?" Sue asked out of the blue.

_Chance! _All the alarms in my head went off.

"He would love to!" I replied too hastily and they all stared at me. "Erm… what I mean is: I think Natsu wouldn't mind?" I shot Natsu a look that said _'you better agree to this right now'._

"Yeah, sure," Natsu said.

"Really?!" Boze and Sue exclaimed together.

Natsu nodded and it was settled.

_Yes! Now we'll just have to spend more time together and somehow convince them to tell us about their ghostly encounter! _

"Break time's over!" Sensei bellowed. "Let's go through the fundamentals again now!" He called for everyone to gather and I went back to sit down.

* * *

I didn't really know why I stayed even though the thing with Boze and Sue was already practically settled. I spent the rest of the practise session watching Natsu. Occasionally he would turn to look and smile at me, which made my heart swell but at the same time, unsettled me. The more my feelings surfaced, the more uneasy I felt.

Now, the karate students were doing physical training. Although I had seen Natsu do push ups so many times before (sometimes even in my room), as I watched him now, the feeling was completely different. There was nothing particularly different about his movements, and yet I could not take my eyes off him. I didn't know when I let it happen… when I let Natsu capture my heart that is. But what I do know is that I am hopelessly attracted to him.

It was during that moment of insight when I heard some whispers that greatly bothered me.

_"Hey, Miu-chan, what should I do? I think I really like Natsu," the girl directly behind me whispered softly. _

_"Ehhh? Seriously?" Miu-chan, probably, whispered back. _

_"Yes. Should I confess to him?" _

_What–!? _

_"That… I suppose you should before somebody else does…" _

_'Before somebody else does'? _My stomach churned. A certain anxiety within me had risen as a shocking reality hit me.

All these girls around me right now… they're all rivals right? That's why they are all here, and that's why they glared at me so intensely when Natsu talked to me earlier. _Why? How can these people suddenly like him when they don't even know him? I don't understand. _

But one thing's for sure, if this goes on, plenty of girls will start claiming to like Natsu and confess to him. Natsu doesn't know anything about love, so what if he randomly accepts some girl?

_What if he gets a girlfriend that is not me? _

I can't. I can't just sit back and let that happen.

"Alright, students! That's it for today's practise session! Monday's lesson is still on, try to make it if you can, especially the weaker ones!"

"YES, SENSEI! THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S SESSION!" All the students bowed and thanked the sensei.

"Dismissed!" Sensei said and everybody scattered.

I don't know what came over me but I immediately went up to Natsu and boldly whispered into his ear, "Meet me on the rooftop after this. I'll tell you what's wrong with me."

Without giving him a chance to respond, I gripped his scarf tightly in my hands and ran off.

* * *

_What have I done?! _Did I just subconsciously invite Natsu to a confession?!

I stood alone on the parapet rooftop. I hadn't been here in a long time and I almost forgot how beautiful the scenery was up here. I stared into the distance as I thought this through. _Am I really going to tell him? Do I really want to do this? Am I absolutely sure of this? _

_No, of course I'm not absolutely sure. _But I don't want anybody else to have him.

It was growing chilly up on the rooftop now that it was around dusk. The wind blew the hair from my face and caused Natsu's scarf that went round my neck to flutter behind me. I was unnaturally calm, knowing full well what I was about to do.

High up here where nothing but the howl of the winds could be heard, I picked up the sound of footsteps coming from the stairway in the central tower. Someone was running up the stairs and I had a good idea who it was.

"Lucy!" _He's here. _My heart began to race but I kept my appearance calm.

I waited until he was right in front of me before I said, "Hey, you came."

"Of course!" He said matter-of-factly. Then his expression turned into one of worry. "Why did you come up here alone? Do you realize how dangerous it is here? Come on, let's go back down." He grabbed my hand and wanted to lead me back down but I stood my ground.

"No," I tugged at his hand and he returned to my side.

He seemed to have realized that I was not going to budge, so instead he said, "Alright. Then… hurry up and tell me what it is so we can get away from here."

"I…" I started but could not go on.

_Come on, Lucy, say it. If you don't say it now, somebody else will. _Part of me pushed for the words to come out of my mouth, but the other half of me wanted to keep them in.

_…I can't. _

_I can't do it. _

I feel like if I say it now, I won't be able to make him return to my side so easily with just a simple tug ever again.

I don't want to rush and confess just because I'm afraid somebody else might do so first.

I don't want things to become awkward between us.

_I don't want to lose him. He's the closest family I've got. _

That was when I decided: I'd rather stand by and do nothing than ruin our current status quo. In short, I'll probably never tell him the truth unless I am 100% certain that he likes me. And the only way to be 100% sure is if I hear the words 'I like you' straight from his lips. Otherwise I will carry these feelings to my grave.

"I… I can't tell you after all," I said and let go of his hand.

"WHAT! LUCY!? WHY?" There was indignation and frustration in his voice.

_Argh, he's never going to let me off now, is he? What can I tell him that will deter him from asking me ever again? _

"Hey! Tell me right now before I get mad again!" He demanded.

I ignored him and looked out at the scenery. In the distance, a beautiful sunset had painted the sky in hues of orange and red. At the same time, the light that shone from the setting sun also painted the unending meadows around into a breath-taking golden plain.

_Hmm… _Suddenly, I had an idea, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to use it. _But guys always seemed to back off whenever this excuse was used… _

"Do you _really, really, really _want to know?" I said.

"YES," he replied instantly, albeit in an irritated tone.

"Fine," I said. Then I looked straight into his eyes and answered, "It's just my female problems okay?" I blushed as soon as I said it.

"F-female problems? You mean…?" Natsu had definitely been caught off guard. I could tell he did not expect that answer from that bashful look he revealed.

I nodded sternly to throw him off even more. On the inside, I rejoiced upon seeing he was too embarrassed to question any further.

"O-okay," he said. "I understand."

"Good."

After that we watched the sunset together in comfortable silence. I was just happy that I can finally face him normally once again.

* * *

**…12600+ words. That's 2600 more than I aimed for but… ah what the heck! I'm sorry it's been so long! So here's a super duper long chapter filled with lots of NaLu (I hope). **

**Errrr… this chapter is about how Lucy copes with her newly-discovered feelings for Natsu. I tried to make sure that there's a certain build-up (or something) up to the point where she decides she would never tell Natsu the truth, but I'm not sure if it's alright. Bottom line is: the Lucy in this chapter is just very unsure of what she wants to do! **

**Phew! That was a tough chapter but it was nice to write! I tried to make it not so cliché also but I duno how that turned out. Anyway, hope you guys like it! **

**Just some points about this chapter: Éclair is the character from the FT movie! But I didn't really make her personality here similar to her personality in the movie… And, PE (physical education) should be like, the equivalent of what Americans call 'gym class'? ****Also, please forgive me if I make any mistakes about what people really do in karate lessons. I actually don't know anything about karate. **

**Alright, that's about it. I don't know when exactly the next chapter will be out. I think it'll be around the usual 5000-6000 words –long. Anyway, sometimes I might update the latest chapter to say when the next chapter is coming out. So if you've waited for two weeks with no updates, you might want to check the bottom of my latest chapter! **

**For the previous chapter, I had a lot of new reviews, followers and favourites! I was really happy! Thank you very much for all your support! ^^ **

**** 'The Butterfly's Dream' is the title for FT's chapter 75, and 'The Golden Plains', of course, is the title for the recent chapter 337! ^^**

*** UPDATE: Just wanted to say... I will not let Natsu be with an OC. All the students I refer to as 'girl' or 'guy' or smth like that are not that important in the story. Oh, but 'Miu-chan' and 'Matsushima-kun' are also not significant characters... I just needed to give names so the setting won't be too fake! NaLu forever, banzai! :D **


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